Occupant protection system including ceiling trim panels

ABSTRACT

An occupant protection system for a vehicle may include an expandable curtain and/or an expandable bladder configured to be expanded from a stowed state to a deployed state. The system may also include a transverse ceiling trim panel and one or more side ceiling trim panels configured to be coupled to a ceiling of the vehicle, with the transverse ceiling trim panel extending substantially transversely with respect to the one or more side ceiling trim panels. Portions of the ceiling trim panels may be configured to deflect and allow expansion of the expandable curtain and/or the expandable bladder to the deployed state. The system may also include a deployment controller and one or more inflators configured to cause deployment of the expandable curtain at a first time and deployment of the expandable bladder at a second time after the first time.

BACKGROUND

Airbags are often used to protect occupants of a vehicle from injuryduring a collision involving the vehicle. An airbag system may ofteninclude an airbag and an inflator for providing the airbag with a gas toinflate the airbag. Upon involvement in a collision, the airbag may berapidly inflated to create a cushion between the occupant and interiorsurfaces of the vehicle.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The detailed description is described with reference to the accompanyingfigures. In the figures, the left-most digit(s) of a reference numberidentifies/identify the figure in which the reference number firstappears. The same reference numbers in different figures indicatesimilar or identical items.

FIG. 1 is a cutaway side view of an example vehicle including an exampleoccupant protection system.

FIG. 2 is a partial side view of the example vehicle shown in FIG. 1with an example expandable curtain and an example expandable bladdershown in a deployed state.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an example system for implementing thetechniques described herein.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an example pair of expandable curtainsshown in a deployed state.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the example expandable curtains shown inFIG. 4 and example expandable bladders in a deployed state, with theexpandable bladders in an example arrangement relative the expandablecurtains.

FIG. 6A is a schematic diagram showing an example vehicle occupantbefore contacting an example expandable bladder supported by an exampleexpandable curtain.

FIG. 6B is a schematic diagram showing the example occupant from FIG. 6Acontacting the example expandable bladder.

FIG. 7 is a schematic partial view of an example vehicle ceiling frombelow showing an example layout of ceiling trim panels and inflators foran occupant protection system.

FIG. 8A is a schematic partial side section view taken along line A-A ofFIG. 7 of example expandable curtains and expandable bladders in anexample stowed state.

FIG. 8B is a schematic partial side section view of the examples shownin FIG. 8A showing a first instance in an example deployment sequencewith one of the expandable curtains and one of the expandable bladdersbeginning to deploy upon activation of an inflator as an exampletransverse ceiling trim panel deflects.

FIG. 8C is a schematic partial side section view of the examples shownin FIG. 8A showing a second instance in the example deployment sequencewith both the expandable curtain and the expandable bladder completelydeployed.

FIG. 9A is a schematic partial side section view taken along line A-A ofFIG. 7 of example expandable curtains and expandable bladders in anexample stowed state.

FIG. 9B is a schematic partial side section view of the examples shownin FIG. 9A showing a first instance in an example deployment sequencewith both expandable curtains and both expandable bladders beginning todeploy upon activation of associated inflators as an example transverseceiling trim panel deflects.

FIG. 9C is a schematic partial side section view of the examples shownin FIG. 9A showing a second instance in the example deployment sequencewith both the expandable curtains and both the expandable bladderscompletely deployed.

FIG. 10A is a schematic partial side section view taken along line B-Bof FIG. 7 of an example side of an expandable curtain in an examplestowed state covered by an example joining ceiling trim panel.

FIG. 10B is a schematic partial side section view of the examples shownin FIG. 10A showing a first instance in an example deployment sequencewith the side of the expandable curtain beginning to deploy uponactivation of an inflator as the example joining ceiling trim paneldeflects.

FIG. 10C is a schematic partial side section view of the examples shownin FIG. 10A showing a second instance in the example deployment sequencewith the side of the expandable curtain completely deployed.

FIG. 11A is a schematic partial side section view taken along line C-Cof FIG. 7 of an example side of an expandable curtain in an examplestowed state covered by an example side ceiling trim panel.

FIG. 11B is a schematic partial side section view of the examples shownin FIG. 11A showing a first instance in an example deployment sequencewith the side of the expandable curtain beginning to deploy uponactivation of an inflator as the example side ceiling trim paneldeflects.

FIG. 11C is a schematic partial side section view of the examples shownin FIG. 11A showing a second instance in the example deployment sequencewith the side of the expandable curtain completely deployed.

FIG. 12 is a block diagram including an example architecture for anoccupant protection system

FIG. 13 is a flow diagram of an example process for deploying anexpandable occupant protection system relative to ceiling trim panels.

FIG. 14 is a flow diagram of an example process for deploying anexpandable occupant protection system using inflators.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As mentioned above, an airbag may be used to protect an occupant of avehicle from injury during a collision involving the vehicle. An airbagsystem may include an airbag and an inflator for providing the airbagwith a gas to inflate the airbag. Upon involvement in a collision, theairbag may be rapidly inflated to create a cushion between the occupantand interior surfaces of the vehicle. Different vehicle designs,however, may result in difficulty in protecting an occupant with aconventional airbag. For example, a conventional airbag, once deployed,relies on support from interior structures of the vehicle, such as asteering wheel, dashboard, or an interior panel, to provide the airbagwith the ability to stop the movement of the occupant during thecollision. Some vehicle designs do not provide such interior structuresfor all locations at which an occupant may be seated, and thus, aconventional airbag may not effectively protect such occupants. Forexample, in a vehicle having carriage-style seating with passengersfacing each other toward a center of the vehicle, there may be limitedor no structure directly in front of occupants of the vehicle. Inaddition, the components of an airbag system occupy space inside thevehicle and add weight to the vehicle, and it may be difficult toinstall the components of an airbag system in a location of the interiorof the vehicle that permits the airbag to deploy at a rate sufficient toprotect the occupant and/or with sufficient dimensions to protect theoccupant. In addition, it may be difficult to quickly and effectivelydeploy airbags hidden from view under interior panels of the vehicle.Some embodiments disclosed herein may address or mitigate at least someof the above-noted drawbacks.

This disclosure is generally directed to apparatuses, systems, andmethods for deploying an occupant protection system in a vehicle, suchas, but not limited to, a vehicle having a carriage-style seatingarrangement. For instance, a carriage-style seating arrangement mayinclude multiple seats spaced apart from one another and facing oneanother in a passenger compartment of the vehicle. In such an example, acentral region of the passenger compartment disposed between the seatsmay be open space substantially free of interior structures. Theoccupant protection system may include an expandable curtain and/or anexpandable bladder configured to arrest the motion of an occupant duringa collision involving the vehicle. The expandable curtain may bedeployed to provide a reaction surface within the passenger compartmentagainst which objects, occupants, and/or an expandable bladder maycontact. For example, an expandable bladder may include an occupantfacing surface and a rear surface, and the rear surface may be supportedby the reaction surface provided by the expandable curtain, for example,to assist with arresting the motion of an occupant during a collision.In some examples, the expandable curtain may include a transverseportion including the reaction surface and extending transversely atleast partially across the interior of the vehicle, and first and secondopposing sides spaced from one another and extending orthogonally withrespect to the transverse portion. In some such examples, a ceiling trimsystem may be provided and may include ceiling trim panels configured todeflect upon deployment of the expandable curtain, such that one or moreopenings are created through which the transverse portion and first andsecond sides of the expandable curtain may deploy.

In some examples, one or more inflators may be provided to causedeployment of one or more expandable curtains and/or one or moreexpandable bladders. In some examples, a first inflator may be activatedat a first time to deploy at least a portion of at least one expandablecurtain, and a second inflator may be activated at a second timefollowing the first time to deploy at least one expandable bladder. Insome such examples, the first inflator may have a capacity sufficient todeflect one or more of the ceiling trim panels, so that the one or moreexpandable curtains and/or one or more expandable bladders may deploythrough one or more openings created by deflection of the ceiling trimpanels.

For example, an occupant protection system for a vehicle may include anexpandable curtain configured to expand from a stowed state to adeployed state having a length configured to extend at least a portionof a distance between a vehicle roof and a vehicle floor. The expandablecurtain in the deployed state may include a first side configured toextend along a portion of a first interior side of the vehicle in afirst direction, and a second side spaced from the first side andconfigured to extend in a direction substantially parallel to the firstdirection. The expandable curtain in the deployed state may also includea transverse portion extending in a second direction transverse to thefirst direction. The transverse portion may be configured to provide areaction surface, and the first side, the transverse portion, and thesecond side of the expandable curtain may form a contiguous barrier. Theoccupant protection system may also include an expandable bladderincluding an occupant facing surface and a rear surface opposite theoccupant facing surface. The expandable bladder may be configured toexpand from a stowed state to a deployed state, such that in thedeployed state the rear surface of the expandable bladder contacts thereaction surface of the transverse portion. The occupant protectionsystem may also include a transverse ceiling trim panel configured to becoupled to a ceiling of the vehicle and extending substantially parallelto the second direction. The transverse ceiling trim panel may beconfigured to cover the transverse portion of the expandable curtain inthe stowed state and deflect to allow expansion of the transverseportion to the deployed state. The occupant protection system may alsoinclude a first side ceiling trim panel configured to be coupled to theceiling of the vehicle and extending substantially parallel to the firstdirection. The first side ceiling trim panel may be configured to coverthe first side of the expandable curtain in the stowed state and deflectto allow expansion of the first side to the deployed state. In someexamples, the occupant protection system may also include a second sideceiling trim panel configured to be coupled to the ceiling of thevehicle and extending substantially parallel to the first direction. Thesecond side ceiling trim panel may be configured to cover the secondside of the expandable curtain in the stowed state and deflect to allowexpansion of the second side to the deployed state. In some examples,the first side ceiling trim panel, the transverse ceiling trim panel,and the second side ceiling trim panel may be configured to deflect andform a substantially continuous opening through which the first side ofthe expandable curtain, the transverse portion of the expandablecurtain, and the second side of the expandable curtain may deploy.

In some examples, the transverse ceiling trim panel may define atransverse seam extending substantially parallel to the seconddirection, and the transverse seam may be configured to create atransverse opening through which the transverse portion of theexpandable curtain passes when expanding from the stowed state to thedeployed state. A “seam” may be defined by one or more respective edgesof a trim panel, for example, where the respective edge meets a portionof the vehicle, and/or a “seam” may be defined by an area of weaknesscreated in a trim panel, for example, a line of reduced materialthickness, a line scored on a surface of the trim panel, and/or a lineof perforations in the trim panel. In some examples, the transverseceiling trim panel may include a living hinge, for example, spaced fromthe seam to facilitate deflection of the transverse ceiling trim panel.

In some examples, the first side ceiling trim panel may define alongitudinal seam extending substantially parallel to the firstdirection, and the longitudinal seam may be configured to create alongitudinal opening through which the first side of the expandablecurtain passes when expanding from the stowed state to the deployedstate. The second side ceiling trim panel, in some examples, may definea longitudinal seam extending substantially parallel to the firstdirection, and the longitudinal seam may be configured to create alongitudinal opening through which the second side of the expandablecurtain passes when expanding from the stowed state to the deployedstate. In some examples, the first side ceiling trim panel may include aliving hinge, for example, spaced from the seam to facilitate deflectionof the first side ceiling trim panel.

In some examples, the occupant protection system may also include afirst inflator in flow communication with the expandable curtain andconfigured to cause, upon activation of the first inflator, theexpandable curtain to expand from the stowed state to the deployedstate. The occupant protection system, in some examples, may alsoinclude a second inflator in flow communication with the expandablebladder and configured to cause, upon activation of the second inflator,the expandable bladder to expand from the stowed state to the deployedstate. In some examples, the occupant protection system may also includea deployment controller in communication with the first inflator and thesecond inflator and configured to activate the first inflator and thesecond inflator. The deployment controller, in some examples, may beconfigured to activate the first inflator sequentially prior toactivation of the second inflator. In some such examples, the firstinflator may have a capacity sufficient to cause one or more of theceiling trim panels to deflect and create an opening through which atleast a portion of at least one of the expandable curtain or theexpandable bladder may deploy.

In some examples of the occupant protection system, the first inflatormay include two or more inflators (e.g., three inflators) configured todeploy the first side of the expandable curtain, the transverse portionof the expandable curtain, and the second side of the expandablecurtain. Some examples of the occupant protection system (e.g., for avehicle having carriage-style seating) may include a second expandablecurtain, and the first inflator may be configured to deploy the firstexpandable curtain and the second expandable curtain. Some examples mayinclude two or more inflators (e.g., two, three, four, etc.) configuredto deploy the first expandable curtain and the second expandablecurtain. In some examples, the first expandable curtain and the secondexpandable curtain may be deployed together, either via a commoninflator or via two or more separate inflators, and/or in some examples,the first expandable curtain and the second expandable curtain may bedeployed independently of one another, for example, such that one of thefirst expandable curtain or the second expandable curtain is deployed,and the other of the first expandable curtain or the second expandablecurtain remains in the stowed state.

Some examples of the occupant protection system may include more thanone expandable bladder, for example, an expandable bladder correspondingto each seat or each passenger location of the vehicle. In some suchexamples, a single inflator may be configured to deploy all of theexpandable bladders together. In some examples, a single inflator may beconfigured to deploy two or more expandable bladders together. Forexample, a single inflator may be configured to deploy two or moreexpandable bladders associated with a common expandable curtain. Inother examples, an inflator may be provided for each of the expandablebladders, and the inflators may be activated together at a single time,or the inflators may be activated independently of one another at asingle time or at different times.

The techniques and systems described herein may be implemented in anumber of ways. Example implementations are provided below withreference to the figures.

FIG. 1 is a side cutaway view of showing an interior 100 of an examplevehicle 102 including a pair of occupants 104. The example vehicle 102may be configured to travel via a road network from one geographiclocation to a destination carrying one or more of the occupants 104. Forexample, the interior 100 may include a plurality of seats 106, whichmay be provided in any relative arrangement. The example vehicle 102shown in FIG. 1 includes an example carriage-style seating arrangementin a substantially central portion of the interior 100 of the vehicle102. For example, the vehicle 102 may include two or more rows 108 ofseats 106, and in some examples, two of the rows 108 of seats 106 mayface each other, for example, as shown in FIG. 1. One or more of therows 108 of the seats 106 may include two seats 106 (e.g., seats 106Aand 106B). Other relative arrangements and numbers of seats 106 arecontemplated.

For the purpose of illustration, the vehicle 102 may be a driverlessvehicle, such as an autonomous vehicle configured to operate accordingto a Level 5 classification issued by the U.S. National Highway TrafficSafety Administration, which describes a vehicle capable of performingall safety-critical functions for the entire trip, with the driver (oroccupant) not being expected to control the vehicle at any time. In suchexamples, because the vehicle 102 may be configured to control allfunctions from start to completion of the trip, including all parkingfunctions, it may not include a driver and/or controls for driving thevehicle 102, such as a steering wheel, an acceleration pedal, and/or abrake pedal. This is merely an example, and the systems and methodsdescribed herein may be incorporated into any ground-borne, airborne, orwaterborne vehicle, including those ranging from vehicles that need tobe manually controlled by a driver at all times, to those that arepartially- or fully-autonomously controlled.

The example vehicle 102 may be any configuration of vehicle, such as,for example, a van, a sport utility vehicle, a cross-over vehicle, atruck, a bus, an agricultural vehicle, and a construction vehicle. Thevehicle 102 may be powered by one or more internal combustion engines,one or more electric motors, hydrogen power, any combination thereof,and/or any other suitable power sources. Although the example vehicle102 has four wheels 110, the systems and methods described herein may beincorporated into vehicles having fewer or a greater number of wheels,tires, and/or tracks. The example vehicle 102 may have four-wheelsteering and may operate generally with equal performancecharacteristics in all directions, for example, such that a first end112 of the vehicle 102 is the front end of the vehicle 102 whentravelling in a first direction 114, and such that the first end 112becomes the rear end of the vehicle 102 when traveling in the opposite,second direction 116, as shown in FIG. 1. Similarly, a second end 118 ofthe vehicle 102 is the front end of the vehicle 102 when travelling inthe second direction 116, and such that the second end 118 becomes therear end of the vehicle 102 when traveling in the opposite, firstdirection 114. These example characteristics may facilitate greatermaneuverability, for example, in small spaces or crowded environments,such as parking lots and urban areas.

As shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle 102 may include an occupant protectionsystem 120 configured to protect one or more of the occupants 104 duringa collision involving the vehicle 102. For example, the occupantprotection system 120 may include one or more of an expandable curtain122, one or more expandable bladders 124, and a deployment controller126 configured to control deployment of one or more of the expandablecurtains 122 and one or more of the expandable bladders 124, so thatthey deploy from a stowed state, for example, as shown in FIG. 1, to adeployed state, for example, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4-6B. In someexamples, the occupant protection system 120 may also include a seatbeltsystem that includes a seatbelt for each of one or more of the occupants104, for example, as explained in more detail herein. The expandablecurtain(s) 122 and/or the expandable bladder(s) 124 may be formed from,for example, a woven nylon fabric and/or other similar materials, ormaterials having suitable characteristics.

As shown in FIG. 1, the example vehicle 102 includes a chassis 128including a vehicle roof 130 having a housing 132 configured to receivethe expandable curtain(s) 122 and/or the expandable bladder(s) 124, eachin the stowed (e.g., unexpanded state). In some examples, the expandablecurtain(s) 122 and/or expandable bladder(s) 124 may be storedindividually in separate housings. In some examples (e.g., thoseexamples where portions of the expandable curtain(s) are separate fromone another), each portion may be stored individually in separatehousings. In some examples, upon receipt of one or more signals from thevehicle 102, the deployment controller 126 may be configured to activateone or more inflators 134 in flow communication with the expandablecurtain(s) 122 and/or the expandable bladder(s) 124, such that theinflators 134 provide a fluid or gas to the expandable curtain(s) 122and/or expandable bladder(s) 124, so that that the expandable curtain(s)122 and/or the expandable bladder(s) 124 may rapidly expand from theirstowed state (FIG. 1) to their respective deployed states, for example,as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4-6B. For example, the inflators 134 may includea gas generator, a pyrotechnic charge, propellants, any combinationthereof, and/or any other suitable devices or systems. The expandablecurtain(s) 122 and/or expandable bladder(s) 124 may be configured todeploy in, for example, less than 100 milliseconds or less than 50milliseconds. As explained herein, the expandable curtain(s) 122 and/orthe expandable bladder(s) 124, in the deployed state, may protect anoccupant 104 from injury (or reduce its likelihood or severity) during acollision involving the vehicle 102 by providing a cushion between theoccupant 104 and interior structures of the vehicle 102, so that theoccupant 104 will be prevented from being thrown into the interiorstructures and/or, in some instances, being ejected from the vehicle102.

FIG. 2 shows an example occupant protection system 120 with an exampleexpandable curtain 122 and an example first expandable bladder 124A andan example second expandable bladder 124B in a deployed (e.g., expanded)state, with occupants omitted for clarity. In the example shown, theexpandable curtain 122 has been deployed from the vehicle roof 130 andis coupled to the vehicle roof 130 at an attachment point 200. In someexamples, the expandable curtain 122 may be indirectly coupled to andsupported by the vehicle roof 130, for example, via an intermediatecoupling.

The example expandable curtain 122 may be configured to be expanded froma stowed state, for example, as shown in FIG. 1, to a deployed state,for example, as shown in FIG. 2, having a length configured to extend atleast a portion of the distance between the vehicle roof 130 and avehicle floor 202. As shown, in some examples, the expandable curtain122 extends toward the vehicle floor 202 and terminates at a locationspaced above the vehicle floor 202. In some examples, the expandablecurtain 122 may extend to and terminate at the vehicle floor 202. In theexample shown, the expandable curtain 122 in the deployed state mayinclude first side 204 configured to extend along a portion of a firstinterior side 206 of the vehicle 102. For example, the first side 204 ofthe expandable curtain 122 may extend in a longitudinal directionsubstantially parallel to the first interior side 206 of the vehicle102. In some examples, the first side 204 of the expandable curtain 122may be deployed from a housing located above the opening 208 in thefirst interior side 206 and or from the vehicle roof 130. In someexamples, the first side 204 of the expandable curtain 122 may beinflatable and may be configured to provide cushioning between theoccupant 104 and the first interior side 206 of the vehicle 102.

In some examples, the expandable curtain 122 may also include a secondside 210 spaced from and opposite the first side 204 and configured toextend along a portion of a second interior side of the vehicle 102 (notshown in FIG. 2 due to limitations of the view provided). The first andsecond interior sides of the vehicle 102 may be on opposite sides of thevehicle 102 and may extend substantially parallel to one another. Insome examples, the second side 210 of the expandable curtain 122 mayhave structural, location, stowage, and/or deployment characteristicssimilar to, or the same as, the first side 204 of the expandable curtain122, except that it may be located on the second interior side of thevehicle 102 and may be different to accommodate differences with beingon the second interior side of the vehicle 102 instead of the firstinterior side 206.

As shown in FIG. 2, the example expandable curtain 122 also includes atransverse portion 212 extending between the first side 204 and thesecond side 210 of the expandable curtain 122. In some examples, thefirst side 204, the second side 210, and the transverse portion 212 ofthe expandable curtain 122 form a contiguous barrier. For example, thefirst side 204, the second side 210, and the transverse portion 212 ofthe expandable curtain 122 may define a substantially U-shapedcross-sectional area as created by a plane normal to its length. In someexamples, the first side 204, the second side 210, and the transverseportion 212 of the expandable curtain 122 form a continuous barrier. Insome examples, one or more of the first side 204, the second side 210,or the transverse portion 212 of the expandable curtain 122 may includean additional expandable portion (e.g., a channel) located adjacent thevehicle roof 130. The one or more additional expandable portions mayassist the deployment of the first side 204, second side 210, and/ortransverse portion 212 from the housing 132 upon initiation of thedeployment of the expandable curtain 122. For example, the one or moreadditional expandable portions may assist with forcing open portions ofthe interior trim of the vehicle 102 configured to permit the expandablecurtain to deploy from underneath the trim, for example, as describedherein with respect to FIGS. 7-11C. In some examples, the first side204, the second side 210, and/or the transverse portion 212 of theexpandable curtain 122 may not form a continuous barrier or sheet, forexample, such that the transverse portion 212 includes material forforming the reaction surfaces, and includes cut-outs at other portionsof the transverse portion 212.

In some examples, the occupant protection system 120 may include a firsttether 214 coupled to the first side 204 and/or transverse portion 212of the expandable curtain 122 and coupled to a portion of the vehicle102, such as, for example, a portion associated with (e.g., directly orindirectly coupled to) the first interior side 206 (e.g., an interiorpanel or a structural member of the vehicle chassis 128) the vehiclefloor 202, or the vehicle roof 130 of the vehicle 102, for example, asshown in FIG. 2. For example, the first tether 214 may at one end becoupled to a free edge of the first side 204 of the expandable curtain122, and at a second end coupled to an anchor associated with the firstinterior side 206 of the vehicle 102 and/or the vehicle roof 130. Theoccupant protection system 120 may also include a second tether 216coupled to the second side 210 and/or transverse portion 212 of theexpandable curtain 122 and configured to be coupled to a portion of thevehicle 102, such as, for example, a portion associated with (e.g.,directly or indirectly coupled to) the second interior side, the vehiclefloor 202, or the vehicle roof 130 of the vehicle 102, for example, inmanner at least similar to the first tether 214. In some examples, thefirst and second tethers 214 and 216 may assist with preventing theexpandable curtain 122, once deployed, from swinging in a direction awayfrom the occupant 104 during the collision, for example, as the occupant104 contacts the expandable curtain 122, either directly or indirectly,as explained herein.

In the example shown in FIG. 2, the expandable bladders 124A and 124Bhave been deployed from the vehicle roof 130 and are coupled to thevehicle roof 130 at an attachment point 218. For example, the expandablebladders 124A and 124B shown in FIG. 2 have expanded from a stowed stateto a deployed state, and are associated with (e.g., directly orindirectly coupled to) the transverse portion 212 of the expandablecurtain 122, for example, such that the expandable curtain 122 maysupport the expandable bladders 124A and 124B when an occupant 104contacts one of the expandable bladders 124A or 124B as the occupant 104is urged forward in the direction toward which the seat 106 is facingand into the expandable bladders 124A and 124B (i.e., from left-to-rightas shown in FIG. 2). For example, the transverse portion 212 of theexpandable curtain 122 includes a support face side 220 creating areaction surface facing the seat 106 and the expandable bladders 124Aand 124B, and as the occupant 104 contacts one of the expandablebladders 124A or 124B, the expandable bladder 124A or 124B pressesagainst the support face side 220 of the expandable curtain 122. Theexpandable curtain 122 is suspended from the vehicle roof 130 (oradjacent thereto) at the attachment point 200 and is supported by thefirst and/or second tethers 214 and 216, which prevent the expandablecurtain 122 from swinging freely about the attachment point 200 forwardin the direction in which the seat 106 is facing and the direction inwhich the occupant 104 is moving during a collision. In this examplemanner, the occupant protection system 120 may protect the occupant 104during a collision involving the vehicle 102, for example, by preventingthe occupant 104 from colliding in an un-cushioned or unprotected mannerwith interior structures of the vehicle 102 and/or, in some instances,preventing the occupant 104 from being ejected from the vehicle 102.

In the example shown in FIG. 2, at least a portion of the first side 204of the expandable curtain 122 and at least a portion of the second side210 of the expandable curtain 122 extend away from the support face side220 of the of the transverse portion 212 of the expandable curtain 122.In some examples, one or more of the expandable bladders 124A or 124Bmay be associated with (e.g., directly or indirectly coupled to) thesupport face side 220 of the transverse portion 212 and may be locatedbetween the first side 204 and the second side 210 of the expandablecurtain 122, for example, as shown in FIG. 2.

The first expandable bladder 124A and/or second expandable bladder 124Bmay each be configured to expand from a stowed state to a deployed stateassociated with the transverse portion 212 of the expandable curtain122, for example, as shown in FIG. 2. In some examples, the firstexpandable bladder 124A and/or the second expandable bladder 124B may becoupled to the transverse portion 212 of the expandable curtain 122. Insome examples, the first expandable bladder 124A and/or the secondexpandable bladder 124B may not be coupled to the transverse portion 212of the expandable curtain 122. For example, the first and/or secondexpandable bladder may be coupled, directly or indirectly, to thevehicle roof 130 independently of one another and/or independently ofthe expandable curtain 122.

In some examples, the first side 204, the second side 210, and/or thetransverse portion 212 of the expandable curtain 122 may be configuredsuch that when the expandable curtain 122 is deployed, the lower edge ofthe transverse portion 212 is closer to the seat 106 toward which thefirst side 204 and second side 210 extend than the upper portion of thetransverse portion 212, thereby resulting in the transverse portion 212extending downward toward the floor of the vehicle 102 and creating anangle relative to vertical, for example, as shown in FIG. 2. This anglemay be created by a contraction of the first side 204 and/or the secondside 210 as the expandable curtain 122 is deployed. This exampleconfiguration results the lower edge of the expandable curtain 122 beingcloser to the lower portion of the chest an occupant in the seat 106than an upper portion of the chest and/or head of the occupant upondeployment. This creates a reaction surface against which the firstand/or second expandable bladders 124A and 124B may react and whichresults in arresting the lower portion of the chest of the occupant andallowing the upper chest and/or head of the occupant to continue forwardand pivot downward into/against one of the expandable bladders 124 asthe occupant is arrested by the expandable bladder 124, for example, asdescribed herein with respect to FIGS. 6A and 6B.

In some examples, the deployment controller 126 (FIG. 1) may beconfigured to cause the one or more of the first expandable bladder124A, the second expandable bladder 124B, or the expandable curtain 122to expand from the stowed state to the deployed state, for example, byactivating one or more inflators 134 (FIG. 1) associated with (e.g., inflow communication with) one or more of the first expandable bladder124A, the second expandable bladder 124B, or the expandable curtain 122,for example, as described herein with respect to FIGS. 7-11C. The firstexpandable bladder 124A, the second expandable bladder 124B, and theexpandable curtain 122 may be deployed together, concurrently (e.g.,substantially simultaneously), or may be deployed independently of oneanother. For example, the deployment controller 126 may be configured tocause the expandable curtain 122 to deploy and/or expand from the stowedstate to the deployed state at a first time, and thereafter cause thefirst expandable bladder 124A and/or the second expandable bladder 124Bto expand from the stowed state to the deployed state at a second timefollowing the first time. In some examples, the first expandable bladder124A or the second expandable bladder 124B may be deployed individually,for example, without necessarily deploying the other of the expandablebladders. By deploying the expandable curtain 122 and/or the expandablebladders 124A or 124B independently, the packaging of the occupantprotection system 120 may be improved by, for example, reducing the sizeof gas generators associated with (e.g., that may form part of) theinflator(s) 134 and/or the housing(s) 132 used to contain the undeployedfirst and second expandable bladders 124A and 124B and expandablecurtain 122. Additionally, or alternatively, by deploying the expandablecurtain 122 and/or the expandable bladders 124A or 124B independently,replacement costs may be minimized, as only those members deployed wouldneed replacing or refurbishing.

The example vehicle 102 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 may include a first seat106A coupled to a portion the vehicle 102 and facing the first direction114 relative to a longitudinal axis of the vehicle 102, and the vehicle102 may also include a second seat 106B (FIG. 1) coupled to a portionthe vehicle 102 and facing the second direction 116 opposite the firstdirection 114. In some examples of the occupant protection system 120,the first side 204 of the expandable curtain 122 and the second side 210of the expandable curtain 122 may extend from the transverse portion 212of the expandable curtain 122 in the second direction 116 toward thefirst seat 106A. The first expandable bladder 124A may be configured todeploy between the transverse portion 212 of the expandable curtain 122and the first seat 106A.

FIG. 3 depicts a block diagram of an example architecture 300 forimplementing the techniques described herein. In at least some examples,the architecture 300 may include a vehicle 302, which may correspond tothe example vehicle 102 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The vehicle 302 mayinclude a vehicle computing device 304, one or more sensor systems 306,one or more emitters 308, one or more communication connections 310, atleast one direct connection 312, and one or more drive modules 314.

The vehicle computing device 304 may include one or more processors 316and memory 318 communicatively coupled with the one or more processors316. In the illustrated example, the vehicle 302 is an autonomousvehicle. However, the vehicle 302 may be any other type of vehicle. Inthe illustrated example, the memory 318 of the vehicle computing device304 stores a localization component 320, a perception component 322, aplanning component 324, one or more system controllers 326, one or moremap(s) 328, and an example occupant protection system 120. Thoughdepicted in FIG. 3 as residing in memory 318 for illustrative purposes,it is contemplated that the localization component 320, the perceptioncomponent 322, the planning component 324, the one or more systemcontrollers 326, the one or more maps 328, and the occupant protectionsystem 120 may additionally, or alternatively, be accessible to thevehicle 302 (e.g., stored on, or otherwise accessible by, memory remotefrom the vehicle 302).

In at least one example, the localization component 320 may beconfigured to receive data from the sensor system(s) 306 to determine aposition and/or orientation of the vehicle 302 (e.g., one or more of anx-, y-, z-position, roll, pitch, or yaw). For example, the localizationcomponent 320 may include and/or request/receive a map of an environmentand may continuously determine a location and/or orientation of theautonomous vehicle within the map. In some examples, the localizationcomponent 320 may utilize SLAM (simultaneous localization and mapping),CLAMS (calibration, localization and mapping, simultaneously), relativeSLAM, bundle adjustment, non-linear least squares optimization, or thelike to receive image data, LIDAR sensor data, radar data, IMU data, GPSdata, wheel encoder data, and the like to accurately determine alocation of the autonomous vehicle. In some examples, the localizationcomponent 320 may provide data to various components of the vehicle 302to determine an initial position of an autonomous vehicle for generatinga candidate trajectory, as discussed herein.

In some examples, the perception component 322 may be configured toperform object detection, segmentation, and/or classification. In someexamples, the perception component 322 may provide processed sensor datathat indicates a presence of an entity that is proximate to the vehicle302 and/or a classification of the entity as an entity type (e.g., car,pedestrian, cyclist, animal, building, tree, road surface, curb,sidewalk, unknown, etc.). In additional and/or alternative examples, theperception component 322 may provide processed sensor data thatindicates one or more characteristics associated with a detected entityand/or the environment in which the entity is positioned. In someexamples, characteristics associated with an entity may include, but arenot limited to, an x-position (global position), a y-position (globalposition), a z-position (global position), an orientation (e.g., a roll,pitch, yaw), an entity type (e.g., a classification), a velocity of theentity, an acceleration of the entity, an extent of the entity (size),etc. Characteristics associated with the environment may include, butare not limited to, a presence of another entity in the environment, astate of another entity in the environment, a time of day, a day of aweek, a season, a weather condition, an indication of darkness/light,etc.

In general, the planning component 324 may determine a path for thevehicle 302 to follow to traverse through an environment. For example,the planning component 324 may determine various routes and trajectoriesand various levels of detail. For example, the planning component 324may determine a route to travel from a first location (e.g., a currentlocation) to a second location (e.g., a target location). For thepurpose of this discussion, a route may be a sequence of waypoints fortravelling between two locations. As non-limiting examples, waypointsinclude streets, intersections, global positioning system (GPS)coordinates, etc. Further, the planning component 324 may generate aninstruction for guiding the autonomous vehicle along at least a portionof the route from the first location to the second location. In at leastone example, the planning component 324 may determine how to guide theautonomous vehicle from a first waypoint in the sequence of waypoints toa second waypoint in the sequence of waypoints. In some examples, theinstruction may be a trajectory or a portion of a trajectory. In someexamples, multiple trajectories may be substantially simultaneouslygenerated (e.g., within technical tolerances) in accordance with areceding horizon technique, wherein one of the multiple trajectories isselected for the vehicle 302 to navigate.

In at least one example, the planning component 324 may determine alocation of a user based on image data of an environment received fromthe user using, for example, bags of binary words with image-basedfeatures, artificial neural network, and the like. Further, the planningcomponent 324 may determine a pickup location associated with alocation. A pickup location may be a specific location (e.g., a parkingspace, a loading zone, a portion of a ground surface, etc.) within athreshold distance of a location (e.g., an address or locationassociated with a dispatch request) where the vehicle 302 may stop topick up a passenger. In at least one example, the planning component 324may determine a pickup location based at least in part on determining auser identity (e.g., determined via image recognition or received as anindication from a user device, as discussed herein).

In at least one example, the vehicle computing device 304 may includeone or more system controllers 326, which may be configured to controlsteering, propulsion, braking, safety, emitters, communication, andother systems of the vehicle 302. These system controller(s) 326 maycommunicate with and/or control corresponding systems of the drivemodule(s) 314 and/or other components of the vehicle 302.

The memory 318 may further include one or more map(s) 328 that may beused by the vehicle 302 to navigate within the environment. For thepurpose of this application, a map may be any number of data structuresmodeled in two dimensions, three dimensions, or N dimensions that arecapable of providing information about an environment, such as, but notlimited to, topologies (such as intersections), streets, mountainranges, roads, terrain, and the environment in general. In someexamples, a map may include, but is not limited to: texture information(e.g., color information (e.g., RGB color information, Lab colorinformation, HSV/HSL color information), and the like), intensityinformation (e.g., LIDAR information, RADAR information, and the like);spatial information (e.g., image data projected onto a mesh, individual“surfels” (e.g., polygons associated with individual color and/orintensity)), reflectivity information (e.g., specularity information,retroreflectivity information, BRDF information, BSSRDF information, andthe like). In one example, a map may include a three-dimensional mesh ofthe environment. In some examples, the map may be stored in a tiledformat, such that individual tiles of the map represent a discreteportion of an environment and may be loaded into working memory asneeded. In at least one example, the one or more maps 328 may include atleast one map (e.g., images and/or a mesh). In some examples, thevehicle 302 may be controlled based at least in part on the maps 328.That is, the maps 328 may be used in connection with the localizationcomponent 320, the perception component 322, and/or the planningcomponent 324 to determine a location of the vehicle 302, identifyobjects in an environment, and/or generate routes and/or trajectories tonavigate within an environment.

In some examples, the one or more maps 328 may be stored on a remotecomputing device(s) (such as computing device(s) 330) accessible via oneor more network(s) 332. In some examples, multiple maps 328 may bestored based on, for example, a characteristic (e.g., type of entity,time of day, day of week, season of the year, etc.). Storing multiplemaps 328 may have similar memory requirements but increase the speed atwhich data in a map may be accessed.

As shown in FIG. 3, in some examples, the occupant protection system 120may be stored in the memory 318 of the computing device 304 of thevehicle 302 or remote from the vehicle 302 in the memory 334 of thecomputing device(s) 330. In some examples, some portions of the occupantprotection system 120 may be stored in the memory 318 of the computingdevice 304 of the vehicle 302, and other portions of the occupantprotection system 120 may be stored remotely in the memory 334 of thecomputing device(s) 330, and the separately located portions of theoccupant protection system 120 may operate together in a coordinatedmanner.

In some examples, aspects of some or all of the components discussedherein may include any models, algorithms, and/or machine learningalgorithms. For example, in some examples, the components in the memory318 and/or the memory 334 may be implemented as a neural network.

As described herein, an exemplary neural network is a biologicallyinspired algorithm which passes input data through a series of connectedlayers to produce an output. Each layer in a neural network may alsoinclude another neural network or may include any number of layers(whether convolutional or not). As may be understood in the context ofthis disclosure, a neural network may utilize machine learning, whichmay refer to a broad class of such algorithms in which an output isgenerated based on learned parameters.

Although discussed in the context of neural networks, any type ofmachine learning may be used consistent with this disclosure. Forexample, machine learning algorithms may include, but are not limitedto, regression algorithms (e.g., ordinary least squares regression(OLSR), linear regression, logistic regression, stepwise regression,multivariate adaptive regression splines (MARS), locally estimatedscatterplot smoothing (LOESS)), instance-based algorithms (e.g., ridgeregression, least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO),elastic net, least-angle regression (LARS)), decisions tree algorithms(e.g., classification and regression tree (CART), iterative dichotomiser3 (ID3), Chi-squared automatic interaction detection (CHAID), decisionstump, conditional decision trees), Bayesian algorithms (e.g., naïveBayes, Gaussian naïve Bayes, multinomial naïve Bayes, averageone-dependence estimators (AODE), Bayesian belief network (BNN),Bayesian networks), clustering algorithms (e.g., k-means, k-medians,expectation maximization (EM), hierarchical clustering), associationrule learning algorithms (e.g., perceptron, back-propagation, hopfieldnetwork, Radial Basis Function Network (RBFN)), deep learning algorithms(e.g., Deep Boltzmann Machine (DBM), Deep Belief Networks (DBN),Convolutional Neural Network (CNN), Stacked Auto-Encoders),Dimensionality Reduction Algorithms (e.g., Principal Component Analysis(PCA), Principal Component Regression (PCR), Partial Least SquaresRegression (PLSR), Sammon Mapping, Multidimensional Scaling (MDS),Projection Pursuit, Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA), MixtureDiscriminant Analysis (MDA), Quadratic Discriminant Analysis (QDA),Flexible Discriminant Analysis (FDA)), Ensemble Algorithms (e.g.,Boosting, Bootstrapped Aggregation (Bagging), AdaBoost, StackedGeneralization (blending), Gradient Boosting Machines (GBM), GradientBoosted Regression Trees (GBRT), Random Forest), SVM (support vectormachine), supervised learning, unsupervised learning, semi-supervisedlearning, etc.

Additional examples of architectures include neural networks, such as,for example, ResNet70, ResNet101, VGG, DenseNet, PointNet, and the like.

In at least one example, the sensor system(s) 306 may include LIDARsensors, radar sensors, ultrasonic transducers, sonar sensors, locationsensors (e.g., GPS, compass, etc.), inertial sensors (e.g., inertialmeasurement units (IMUs), accelerometers, magnetometers, gyroscopes,etc.), cameras (e.g., RGB, IR, intensity, depth, time-of-flight (TOF),etc.), microphones, wheel encoders, environment sensors (e.g.,temperature sensors, humidity sensors, light sensors, pressure sensors,etc.), etc. The sensor system(s) 306 may include multiple examples ofeach of these or other types of sensors. For example, the LIDAR sensorsmay include individual LIDAR sensors located at the corners, front,back, sides, and/or top of the vehicle 302. As another example, thecamera sensors may include multiple cameras disposed at variouslocations about the exterior and/or interior of the vehicle 302. Thesensor system(s) 306 may provide input to the vehicle computing device304. Additionally, or alternatively, the sensor system(s) 306 may sendsensor data, via the one or more networks 332, to the one or morecomputing device(s) 330 at a particular frequency, after a lapse of apredetermined period of time, in near real-time, etc.

The vehicle 302 may also include one or more emitters 308 for emittinglight and/or sound, as described above. The emitters 308 in this exampleinclude interior audio and visual emitters to communicate withpassengers of the vehicle 302. By way of example and not limitation,interior emitters may include speakers, lights, signs, display screens,touch screens, haptic emitters (e.g., vibration and/or force feedback),mechanical actuators (e.g., seatbelt tensioners, seat positioners,headrest positioners, etc.), and the like. The emitters 308 in thisexample also include exterior emitters. By way of example and notlimitation, the exterior emitters in this example include lights tosignal a direction of travel or other indicator of vehicle action (e.g.,indicator lights, signs, light arrays, etc.), and one or more audioemitters (e.g., speakers, speaker arrays, horns, etc.) to audiblycommunicate with pedestrians or other nearby vehicles, one or more ofwhich including acoustic beam steering technology.

The vehicle 302 may also include one or more communication connection(s)310 that enable communication between the vehicle 302 and one or moreother local or remote computing device(s). For example, thecommunication connection(s) 310 may facilitate communication with otherlocal computing device(s) on the vehicle 302 and/or the drive module(s)314. Also, the communication connection(s) 310 may allow the vehicle 302to communicate with other nearby computing device(s) (e.g., other nearbyvehicles, traffic signals, etc.). The communications connection(s) 310also enable the vehicle 302 to communicate with a remote teleoperationscomputing device or other remote services.

The communications connection(s) 310 may include physical and/or logicalinterfaces for connecting the vehicle computing device 304 to anothercomputing device or a network, such as network(s) 332. For example, thecommunications connection(s) 310 may enable Wi-Fi-based communication,such as via frequencies defined by the IEEE 802.11 standards, shortrange wireless frequencies such as Bluetooth®, cellular communication(e.g., 2G, 3G, 4G, 4G LTE, 5G, etc.) or any suitable wired or wirelesscommunications protocol that enables the respective computing device tointerface with the other computing device(s).

In at least one example, the vehicle 302 may include one or more drivemodules 314. In some examples, the vehicle 302 may have a single drivemodule 314. In at least one example, if the vehicle 302 has multipledrive modules 314, individual drive modules 314 may be positioned onopposite ends of the vehicle 302 (e.g., the front and the rear, etc.).In at least one example, the drive module(s) 314 may include one or moresensor systems to detect conditions of the drive module(s) 314 and/orthe surroundings of the vehicle 302. By way of example and notlimitation, the sensor system(s) 306 may include one or more wheelencoders (e.g., rotary encoders) to sense rotation of the wheels (e.g.,wheels 110, FIG. 2) of the drive modules, inertial sensors (e.g.,inertial measurement units, accelerometers, gyroscopes, magnetometers,etc.) to measure orientation and acceleration of the drive module,cameras or other image sensors, ultrasonic sensors to acousticallydetect objects in the surroundings of the drive module, LIDAR sensors,radar sensors, etc. Some sensors, such as the wheel encoders may beunique to the drive module(s) 314. In some cases, the sensor system(s)on the drive module(s) 314 may overlap or supplement correspondingsystems of the vehicle 302 (e.g., sensor system(s) 306).

The drive module(s) 314 may include many of the vehicle systems,including a high voltage battery, a motor to propel the vehicle, aninverter to convert direct current from the battery into alternatingcurrent for use by other vehicle systems, a steering system including asteering motor and steering rack (which may be electric), a brakingsystem including hydraulic or electric actuators, a suspension systemincluding hydraulic and/or pneumatic components, a stability controlsystem for distributing brake forces to mitigate loss of traction andmaintain control, an HVAC system, lighting (e.g., lighting such ashead/tail lights to illuminate an exterior surrounding of the vehicle),and one or more other systems (e.g., cooling system, safety systems,onboard charging system, other electrical components such as a DC/DCconverter, a high voltage junction, a high voltage cable, chargingsystem, charge port, etc.). Additionally, the drive module(s) 314 mayinclude a drive module controller, which may receive and preprocess datafrom the sensor system(s) 306 and to control operation of the variousvehicle systems. In some examples, the drive module controller mayinclude one or more processors and memory communicatively coupled withthe one or more processors. The memory may store one or more modules toperform various functionalities of the drive module(s) 314. Furthermore,the drive module(s) 314 also include one or more communicationconnection(s) that enable communication by the respective drive modulewith one or more other local or remote computing device(s).

In at least one example, the direct connection 312 may provide aphysical interface to couple the one or more drive module(s) 314 withthe body of the vehicle 302. For example, the direct connection 312 mayallow the transfer of energy, fluids, air, data, etc. between the drivemodule(s) 314 and the vehicle 302. In some examples, the directconnection 312 may further releasably secure the drive module(s) 314 tothe body of the vehicle 302.

In at least one example, the localization component 320, perceptioncomponent 322, the planning component 324, and/or the occupantprotection system 120 may process sensor data, as described above, andmay send their respective outputs, over the one or more network(s) 332,to one or more computing device(s) 330. In at least one example, thelocalization component 320, the perception component 322, the planningcomponent 324, and/or the occupant protection system 120 may send theirrespective outputs to the one or more computing device(s) 330 at aparticular frequency, after a lapse of a predetermined period of time,in near real-time, etc.

The processor(s) 316 of the vehicle 302 and/or the processor(s) 336 ofthe computing device(s) 330 may include any suitable processor capableof executing instructions to process data and perform operations asdescribed herein. By way of example and not limitation, the processor(s)316 and 336 may include one or more Central Processing Units (CPUs),Graphics Processing Units (GPUs), or any other device or portion of adevice that processes electronic data to transform that electronic datainto other electronic data that may be stored in registers and/ormemory. In some examples, integrated circuits (e.g., ASICs, etc.), gatearrays (e.g., FPGAs, etc.), and other hardware devices may also beconsidered processors in so far as they are configured to implementencoded instructions.

Memory 318 and 334 are examples of non-transitory computer-readablemedia. The memory 318 and 334 may store an operating system and one ormore software applications, instructions, programs, and/or data toimplement the methods described herein and the functions attributed tothe various systems. In various implementations, the memory may beimplemented using any suitable memory technology, such as static randomaccess memory (SRAM), synchronous dynamic RAM (SDRAM),nonvolatile/Flash-type memory, or any other type of memory capable ofstoring information. The architectures, systems, and individual elementsdescribed herein may include many other logical, programmatic, andphysical components, of which those shown in the accompanying figuresare merely examples that are related to the discussion herein.

In some examples, for example as shown in FIG. 3, the occupantprotection system 120 may include an expandable occupant protectionsystem 338 and/or a seatbelt system 340, for example, as describedherein with respect to FIG. 12. As shown in FIG. 3, the expandableoccupant protection system 338 and the seatbelt system 340 may beassociated with one or more of the vehicle computing device 304 on boardthe vehicle 302 or the remote computing device(s) 330.

It should be noted that while FIG. 3 is illustrated as a distributedsystem, in alternative examples, components of the vehicle 302 may beassociated with the computing device(s) 330, and/or components of thecomputing device(s) 330 may be associated with the vehicle 302. That is,the vehicle 302 may perform one or more of the functions associated withthe computing device(s) 330, and vice versa.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, some examples of the occupant protectionsystem 120 may include first and second expandable curtains 122A and122B configured to be expanded from a stowed state to a deployed stateextending between the vehicle roof 130 and the vehicle floor 202 (seeFIG. 2). In some such examples, the occupant protection system 120 mayinclude first and second expandable bladders 124A and 124B configured toexpand from the stowed state to the deployed state. The secondexpandable curtain 122B may be configured to deploy between the firstexpandable curtain 122A and the second seat 106B (see FIG. 2). In someexamples, first and second expandable bladders 124A and 124B may beconfigured to deploy between the second expandable curtain 122B and thesecond seat 106B (see FIG. 1). In such example systems 120, protectionmay be provided for occupants of seats facing both directions. Forexample, the seats 106A and 106B may face one another, for example, asshown in FIG. 1, and the first and second expandable curtains 122A and122B may be configured to deploy between the two seats 106A and 106B. Insome examples, the deployment controller 126 may be configured toreceive one or more signals indicative of a direction of travel of thevehicle 102, and cause deployment of the first expandable curtain 122Aand/or the second expandable curtain 122B. For example, the firstexpandable curtain 122A, the first expandable bladder 124A, the secondexpandable curtain 122B, and/or the second expandable bladder 124B maybe deployed based at least in part on the one or more signals indicativeof the direction of travel of the vehicle 102.

For example, if the vehicle 102 is traveling with the first seat 106Afacing the direction of travel (e.g., the first direction 114 shown inFIG. 1), before or during a collision, the deployment controller 126 maydeploy the first expandable curtain 122A and/or one or more of a firstexpandable bladder 124A or a second expandable bladder 124B (e.g.,associated with (e.g., within an effective distance from) the first seat106A), and if the vehicle 102 is traveling with the second seat 106Bfacing the direction of travel (e.g., the second direction 116 shown inFIG. 1), before or during a collision, the deployment controller 126 maydeploy the second expandable curtain 122B and/or one or more of a firstexpandable bladder 124A or second expandable bladder 124B (e.g.,associated with (e.g., within an effective distance from) the secondseat 106B).

FIGS. 4 and 5 show an example pair 400 of first and second expandablecurtains 122A and 122B oriented relative to one another in exampleorientations consistent with the example vehicle shown FIG. 1, forexample, a vehicle 102 having opposite facing seats 106A and 106B. Asshown, the example expandable curtains 122A and 122B include a firstside 204 configured to extend in a longitudinal direction along aportion of a first interior side 206 of the vehicle 102, and a secondside 210 configured to extend in a longitudinal direction along aportion of a second interior side of the vehicle 102. The exampleexpandable curtains 122A and 122B also include a transverse portion 212extending in a transverse direction between the first side 204 and thesecond side 210 of the expandable curtains 122A and 122B. The expandablecurtains 122A and/or 122B may be configured to deploy at anylongitudinal location of the length of the vehicle 102, for example, todivide the interior 100. In the examples shown, the transverse portions212 of the expandable curtains 122A and 122B, each include an expandablesupport chamber 402 extending in a direction along the length of theexpandable curtains 122A and 122B. The example expandable supportchamber 402 includes a vertical portion 404 configured to extend in thedirection of the length of the expandable curtains 122A and 122B atleast a portion of the distance between the vehicle roof 130 and thevehicle floor 202 when expanded. In some examples, the vertical portion404 may extend diagonally at least a portion of the distance between thevehicle roof 130 and the vehicle floor 202 when expanded (e.g., whilestill extending vertically, the vertical portion 404 may also extendlaterally across at least a portion of the respective transverse portion212 of the respective expandable curtain 122). The example expandablesupport chamber 402 also includes a horizontal portion 406 extending atleast partially from the first side 204 to the second side 210 of theexpandable curtain 122, for example, in a direction normal or orthogonalto the length of the expandable curtains 122A and 122B.

In the example shown, the transverse portions 212 also each include afirst lateral portion 408 extending between the first side 204 of theexpandable curtains 122A and 122B, the vertical portion 404, and thehorizontal portion 406, and a second lateral portion 410 extendingbetween the second side 210 of the expandable curtains 122A and 122B,the vertical portion 404, and the horizontal portion 406. In theexamples shown, the first and second lateral portions 408 and 410 arenot expandable, but rather, form a web between the first side 204 andsecond side 210, the vertical portion 404, and the horizontal portion406. In some examples, one or more of the first and second lateralportions 408 and 410 may be expandable. Although the first and secondexpandable curtains 122A and 122B are depicted as being the same, theymay differ from one another. In some examples, the first and secondexpandable curtains 122A and 122B may be formed as a single expandablecurtain, for example, with a common transverse portion 212, rather thanbeing separately deployable expandable curtains 122A and 122B.

In the example shown in FIG. 4, the vertical portion 404 defines araised portion 412 between the first lateral portion 408 and the secondlateral portion 410 of the transverse portion 212 of the expandablecurtains 122A and 122B. For example, the vertical portion 404 mayinclude a tubular portion having a cross-sectional area in a planetransverse to a direction along the length of the expandable curtains122A and 122B that increases as the vertical portion 404 approaches thehorizontal portion 406. Some examples of the expandable curtains 122Aand/or 122B may include multiple vertical portions.

In some examples, the horizontal portion 406 may include a lower tubularportion 414 having a cross-sectional area in a plane substantiallyparallel to the first and second sides 204 and 210 of the expandablecurtains 122A and 122B that increases as the horizontal portion 406approaches the vertical portion 404, for example, as shown in FIG. 4. Insome examples, the transverse portion 212 of the expandable curtains122A and 122B defines a support face side 220 defining a reactionsurface, and the lower tubular portion 414 of the horizontal portion 406extends from a first end 416 to a second end 418, wherein the first end416 and second end 418 curve away from the support face side 220 of thetransverse portion 212 of the expandable curtains 122A and 122B (e.g.,as viewed from above).

As shown in FIG. 4, each of the expandable curtains 122A and 122B isconfigured such that the first side 204 of the expandable curtains 122Aand 122B, the first lateral portion 408 of the transverse portion 212,the expandable support chamber 402, the second lateral portion 410 ofthe transverse portion 212, and the second side 210 of the expandablecurtains 122A and 122B may form a contiguous barrier extending from thefirst side 204 to the second side 210 of the expandable curtains 122Aand 122B. In some examples, the first side 204, the second side 210, andthe transverse portion 212 may be separate components, but contiguous.In some examples, the first side 204, the second side 210, and thetransverse portion 212 may form a continuous barrier extending from thefirst side 204 to the second side 210 of one or more of the expandablecurtains 122A and 122B.

FIG. 5 shows pairs of the example the expandable bladders 124A and 124Bin relation to two example expandable curtains 122A and 122B, all in adeployed state. In the example shown in FIG. 5, the occupant protectionsystem 120 includes two first expandable bladders 124A configured toexpand from a stowed state to a deployed state associated with (e.g.,directly or indirectly coupled to) an expandable curtain, such that thefirst expandable bladders 124A in the deployed state nest between thefirst side 204 and the expandable support chamber 402 of each of theexpandable curtains 122A and 122B. As shown, some examples may alsoinclude two second expandable bladders 124B configured to expand from astowed state to a deployed state associated with the expandable curtains122A and 122B, such that the second expandable bladders 124B in thedeployed state nest between the second side 210 and the expandablesupport chamber 402 of each of the expandable curtains 122A and 122B.Different numbers of expandable bladders 124 are contemplated. It iscontemplated that the expandable curtains 122A and 122B could be influid communication with one another and act as a single expandablevolume deployable together and/or that the pair of expandable curtains122A and 122B could be replaced by a single expandable curtainconfigured to provide reaction surfaces on opposing sides of thetransverse portion for expandable bladders on opposing sides of theexpandable curtain.

In the example shown in FIG. 5, each of the expandable bladders 124 isconfigured to expand from a stowed state to a deployed state, andincludes a coupling portion 500 configured to be coupled to a portion ofthe vehicle 102 associated with (e.g., directly or indirectly coupledto) a vehicle roof 130. For example, the coupling portion 500 may becoupled directly or indirectly to the vehicle roof 130, for example,such that the coupling portion 500 is suspended from the vehicle roof130 and supports the expandable bladders 124. Each of the exampleexpandable bladders 124 shown in FIG. 5 also includes a first expandablelateral arrester 502 associated with (e.g., directly or indirectlycoupled to and/or in flow communication with) the coupling portion 500,and a second expandable lateral arrester 504 associated with (e.g.,directly or indirectly coupled to and/or in flow communication with) thecoupling portion 500. The example expandable bladders 124 also include alower support 506 associated with (e.g., directly or indirectly coupledto and/or in flow communication with) the first and second expandablelateral arresters 502 and 504, and a central expandable arrester 508associated with (e.g., directly or indirectly coupled to and/or in flowcommunication with) the lower support 506 and configured to pivotrelative to the lower support 506 upon contact with a portion of anoccupant 104 of the vehicle 102, as explained herein. For example, alower portion of the central expandable arrester 508 may be coupled tothe lower support 506, for example, with substantially the remainder ofthe central expandable arrester 508 being substantially free to pivotabout the lower portion.

The example expandable bladders 124 shown in FIG. 5 also each include anoptional first strap 510 coupled to the lower support 506 and configuredto be coupled to a portion of the vehicle 102 associated with (e.g.,directly or indirectly coupled to) the vehicle roof 130 (e.g., astructural member of the vehicle chassis and/or an interior panel), anda second strap 512 coupled to the central expandable arrester 508 andconfigured to be coupled to a portion of the vehicle 102 associated with(e.g., directly or indirectly coupled to) the vehicle roof 130. In someexamples, the first strap 510 may be configured to assist withstabilizing and/or supporting its respective expandable bladder 124. Insome examples, the second strap 512 may be configured to assist withpositioning and supporting the central expandable arrester 508 beforeand during contact with the occupant 104.

In the examples shown in FIG. 5, one or more of the coupling portion500, the first expandable lateral arrester 502, the second expandablelateral arrester 504, or the lower support 506 form an expandablearrester chamber 514. For example, the coupling portion 500, the firstexpandable lateral arrester 502, the second expandable lateral arrester504, and the lower support 506 may form a continuous expandable arresterchamber 514. In some examples, the continuous expandable arresterchamber 514 is substantially ring-shaped and defines a central space516, and the continuous expandable arrester chamber 514 and the centralexpandable arrester 508 are configured, such that the central expandablearrester 508 pivots into the central space 516 upon contact by theoccupant 104 of the vehicle 102, for example, as explained herein. Forexample, the central expandable arrester 508 and the first and secondexpandable lateral arresters 502 and 504 are configured such that thecentral expandable arrester 508 pivots to position at least partiallybetween the first and second expandable lateral arresters 502 and 504upon contact with the portion of the occupant 104 of the vehicle 102. Insome examples, the central expandable arrester 508 and the first andsecond expandable lateral arresters 502 and 504 are configured such thatshoulders of the occupant 104 of the vehicle 102 contact the first andsecond expandable lateral arresters 502 and 504, and the head of theoccupant 104 contacts the central expandable arrester 508.

In some examples, the first strap 510 and the second strap 512 may beformed from a partially elastic material. In some examples, the firstand second straps 510 and 512 may be formed from the same material, andin some examples, the first and second straps 510 and 512 may be formedfrom a different material, for example, such that the second strap 512is relatively more elastic than the first strap 510.

FIGS. 6A and 6B are schematic sequence views of an example occupant 104during a collision involving a vehicle 102 including an example occupantprotection system 120. In the examples shown, the occupant protectionsystem 120 includes an expandable curtain 122 including at least atransverse portion 212 suspended from the vehicle roof 130, and anexpandable bladder 124 suspended from the vehicle roof 130 and includinga coupling portion 500, first and second expandable lateral arresters502 and 504, a lower support 506, and a central expandable arrester 508.FIG. 6A shows the example expandable curtain 122 and the exampleexpandable bladder 124 in the deployed state with the occupant 104 stillseated in the seat 106. As explained herein, in some examples thedeployment controller 126 may receive one or more signals from thevehicle 102 indicative of a collision or a predicted collision involvingthe vehicle 102, and the deployment controller 126 may activate one ormore inflators 134 to deploy the expandable curtain 122 and/or theexpandable bladder 124. In some examples, only expandable bladders 124associated with seats 106 in which occupants 104 have been detected willbe deployed. For example, only expandable bladders 124 in front of andclose enough to the occupied seats that would be effective in arrestingmovement of the respective occupants during a collision will bedeployed.

FIG. 6B shows the example occupant 104 being thrown forward in thevehicle 102 during a collision. In the example shown, the occupant'shead 600 and torso 602 are thrown forward into the expandable bladder124, and the expandable bladder 124, supported by the expandable curtain122, arrests the forward movement of the occupant 104 in a cushionedmanner to reduce the likelihood of injury. In some examples, theoccupant's head 600 contacts the central expandable arrester 508, whichpivots relative to the lower support 506 as described herein, and theoccupant's shoulders 604 contact the first and second expandable lateralarresters 502 and 504, which arrest the forward movement of theoccupant's shoulders 604 in a cushioned manner.

FIG. 7 is a schematic partial view of an example vehicle ceiling 700from below showing an example layout of example ceiling trim panels andexample inflators for an occupant protection system 120 in relation toexample expandable curtains 122A and 122B and example expandablebladders 124A and 124B. In some examples, the inflators shown in FIG. 7may correspond to the inflators 134 shown in FIG. 1.

As shown in FIG. 7, the occupant protection system 120 includes aceiling trim panel system 702. The example ceiling trim panel system 702may include a transverse ceiling trim panel 704 configured to be coupledto the ceiling 700 of the vehicle 102 and extend in a first directionsubstantially transverse relative to a longitudinal axis L of thevehicle 102 (e.g., extending in a direction between the ends 112 and 118of the vehicle 102). In some examples, the transverse ceiling trim panel704 may be configured to cover the transverse portion 212 of theexpandable curtains 122A and 122B and/or one or more of the expandablebladders 124A or 124B, in a stowed state and deflect to allow deploymentof one or more of the transverse portions 212 of the expandable curtain122A or 122B to a deployed state (see, e.g., FIGS. 2 and 4-6B), and/orone or more of the expandable bladders 124A or 124B. Some examples ofthe ceiling trim panel system 702 may also include one or more sideceiling trim panels 706 configured to be coupled to the ceiling 700 andextend in a second direction substantially parallel to the longitudinalaxis L of the vehicle 102 (e.g., substantially perpendicular to thefirst direction in which the transverse ceiling trim panel 704 extends).In some examples, the one or more side ceiling trim panels 706 may beconfigured to cover respective sides 204 and/or 210 of the expandablecurtains 122A and/or 122B in the stowed state and deflect to allowdeployment of the sides 204 and/or 210 of the expandable curtain 122Aand/or 122B to a deployed state (see, e.g., FIGS. 4-6B).

For example, as schematically shown in FIG. 7, the one or moretransverse ceiling trim panels 702 may define one or more transverseseams 708 extending substantially parallel to the first direction (e.g.,substantially transverse to (e.g., substantially perpendicular to) thelongitudinal axis L). In some examples, the transverse seam(s) 708 maybe configured to create an opening through which one or more of thetransverse portions 212 of the one or more expandable curtains 122Aand/or 122B, and/or one or more of the expandable bladders 124A or 124B,pass(es) when deploying from the stowed state to the deployed state. Thetransverse seams 708 may be defined by one or more respective edges ofthe one or more transverse ceiling trim panels 704, for example, wherethe respective edge meets a portion of vehicle 102, and/or thetransverse seams 708 may be defined by an area of weakness created inthe one or more transverse ceiling trim panels 704, for example, a lineof reduced material thickness, a line scored on the surface of thetransverse ceiling trim panels 704, and/or a line of perforations in thetransverse ceiling trim panels 704. In some examples, the transverseceiling trim panels 704 may include a living hinge, for example, spacedfrom the transverse seam 708 to facilitate deflection of the transverseceiling trim panels 704.

As schematically shown in FIG. 7, the one or more side ceiling trimpanels 706 may define one or more longitudinal seams 710 extendingsubstantially parallel to the second direction (e.g., substantiallyparallel to the longitudinal axis L). The one or more longitudinal seams710 may be configured to create an opening through which one or morerespective sides 204 and/or 210 of the expandable curtain 122A and/or122B pass(es) when deploying from the stowed state to the deployedstate. The longitudinal seams 710 may be defined by one or morerespective edges of the one or more side ceiling trim panels 706, forexample, where the respective edge meets a portion of vehicle 102,and/or the longitudinal seams 710 may be defined by an area of weaknesscreated in the one or more side ceiling trim panels 706, for example, aline of reduced material thickness, a line scored on the surface of theside ceiling trim panels 706, and/or a line of perforations in the sideceiling trim panels 706. In some examples, the side ceiling trim panels706 may include a living hinge, for example, spaced from thelongitudinal seam 710 to facilitate deflection of the side ceiling trimpanels 704.

As shown in FIG. 7, some examples of the ceiling trim panel system 702may include a joining ceiling trim panel 712 associated with the one ormore transverse ceiling trim panels 704 and the one or more side ceilingtrim panels 706. For example, as shown in FIG. 7, the joining ceilingtrim panel 712 may be configured to be coupled to the ceiling 700 of thevehicle 102 and cover a portion of the one or more transverse portions212 of the one or more expandable curtains 122A and/or 122B and/or aportion of the one or more sides 204 and/or 210 of the expandablecurtains 122A and/or 122B in the stowed state and deflect to allowdeployment of the one or more transverse portions 212 and/or the one ormore sides 204 and/or 210 of the expandable curtain 122A and/or 122B toa deployed state. For example, one or more of the transverse ceilingtrim panels 704 and/or one or more of the side ceiling trim panels 706may be configured to create a contiguous opening through which the oneor more transverse portions 212 and/or one or more of the sides 204and/or 210 pass when deploying from the stowed state to the deployedstate. In some examples, the one or more joining ceiling trim panels 712may partially form one or more contiguous openings, along with the oneor more transverse ceiling trim panels 704 and/or the one or more sideceiling trim panels 706. In some examples, the joining ceiling trimpanels 712 may include a living hinge, for example, to facilitatedeflection of the joining ceiling trim panels 712. In some examples, atether or cord may be coupled to one or more of the joining ceiling trimpanels 712 and the ceiling of the vehicle 102, for example, to preventone or more of the joining ceiling trim panels 712 from separatingcompletely from the ceiling upon deployment of the expandable curtains122A and/or 122B and/or deployment of the expandable bladders 124Aand/or 124B.

FIG. 7 also schematically shows an example deployment system 714 foractivating deployment of one or more of the expandable curtains 122A or122B and/or one or more of the expandable bladders 124A or 124B. Forexample, the deployment system 714 may include the deployment controller126, which may be configured to activate one or more inflators in flowcommunication with one or more of the expandable curtains 122A or 122B,and/or one or more of the expandable bladders 124A or 124B. For example,as shown in FIG. 7, the example deployment system 714 includes fiveinflators 716, 718, 720, 722, and 724 associated with the expandablecurtain 122A and the expandable bladders 124A and 124B associated withthe expandable curtain 122A. In some examples, one or more of theinflators 716, 718, 720, 722, or 724 may include more than a singleinflator; one or more of the inflators 716, 718, 720, 722, or 724 may becombined; one or more of the inflators 716, 718, 720, 722, or 724 mayhave a different capacity (e.g., a different volume output,pressurization, and/or different flow rate output), or one or more ofthe inflators 716, 718, 720, 722, or 724 may be of a different type(e.g., a pyrotechnic-type inflator, a gas-type inflator, or a hybridpyrotechnic and gas-type inflator). Similarly, the example deploymentsystem 714 includes five inflators 726, 728, 730, 732, and 734associated with the expandable curtain 122B and the expandable bladders124A and 124B associated with the expandable curtain 122B. In someexamples, one or more of the inflators 726, 728, 730, 732, or 734 mayinclude more than a single inflator; one or more of the inflators 726,728, 730, 732, or 734 may be combined; one or more of the inflators 726,728, 730, 732, or 734 may have a different capacity (e.g., a differentvolume output, pressurization, and/or different flow rate output), orone or more of the inflators 726, 728, 730, 732, or 734 may be of adifferent type (e.g., a pyrotechnic-type inflator, a gas-type inflator,or a hybrid pyrotechnic and gas-type inflator). The locations of theinflators are merely examples of possible locations. For example, one ormore of the inflators 718, 720, 728, or 730 may be located at anylocation adjacent to any portion of the respective sides 204 and/or 210of the expandable curtains 122A and/or 122B.

In the example shown, the inflator 716 is in flow communication with theexpandable curtain 122A and configured to cause, upon activation of theinflator 716 by the deployment controller 126, the expandable curtain122A to deploy from a stowed state to a deployed state. For example, theinflator 716 is in flow communication with the transverse portion 212 ofthe expandable curtain 122A. The inflators 718 and 720 in the exampleshown are in flow communication with the sides 204 and 210,respectively, of the expandable curtain 122A. Each of the inflators 722and 724 is in flow communication with one of the expandable bladders124A and 124B associated with the expandable curtain 122A.

Similarly, the inflator 726 is in flow communication with the expandablecurtain 122B and configured to cause, upon activation of the inflator726 by the deployment controller 126, the expandable curtain 122B todeploy from a stowed state to a deployed state. For example, theinflator 726 is in flow communication with the transverse portion 212 ofthe expandable curtain 122B. The inflators 728 and 730 in the exampleshown are in flow communication with the sides 204 and 210,respectively, of the expandable curtain 122B. Each of the inflators 732and 734 is in flow communication with one of the expandable bladders124A and 124B associated with the expandable curtain 122B.

In some examples, the deployment controller 126 may be configured toactivate the one or more of the inflators sequentially relative to oneor more of the other inflators. For example, the deployment controller126 may be configured to activate one or more of the inflator 716 or theinflator 726 sequentially prior in time to activating one or more of theinflator 722, the inflator 724, the inflator 732, or the inflator 734.For example, the deployment controller 126 may be configured to activatethe inflator 716 in flow communication with the transverse portion 212of the expandable curtain 122A prior in time (e.g., about 500milliseconds or less, about 250 milliseconds or less, about 100milliseconds or less, about 50 milliseconds or less, about 25milliseconds or less, or about 5 milliseconds or less) relative toactivating one or more of the inflators 722 or 724 in flowcommunication, respectively, with the expandable bladders 124A and 124Bassociated with the expandable curtain 122A. Such staged deployment mayreduce the total amount of energy to be expended (e.g., by requiring asmall, high pressure, and/or low volume inflator to break the trim, andthen expanding one or more of a curtain or expandable bladder with oneor more separate inflators). Similarly, the deployment controller 126may be configured to activate the inflator 726 in flow communicationwith the transverse portion 212 of the expandable curtain 122B prior intime (e.g., about 500 milliseconds or less, about 250 milliseconds orless, about 100 milliseconds or less, about 50 milliseconds or less,about 25 milliseconds or less, or about 5 milliseconds or less) relativeto activating one or more of the inflators 732 or 734 in flowcommunication, respectively, with the expandable bladders 124A and 124Bassociated with the expandable curtain 122B. In some examples, both theinflators 716 and 726 may be concurrently (e.g., substantiallysimultaneously) activated prior in time to activating one or more of theinflators 722, 724, 732, or 734 in flow communication with theexpandable bladders 124A and 124B associated with both expandablecurtains 122A and 122B. In some such examples, one or more of theinflators 722, 724, 732, or 734 may be concurrently (e.g., substantiallysimultaneously) activated.

FIGS. 8A-8C schematically depict an example deployment sequence 800,with one of the expandable curtains 122A and one of the expandablebladders 124A deploying from a stowed state to a deployed state. FIG. 8Ashows a schematic partial side section view taken along line A-A of FIG.7, showing the transverse portions 212 of the expandable curtains 122Aand 122B and expandable bladders 124A and 124B, all of which are shownin an example stowed state. Although only a single expandable bladder124A and a single expandable bladder 124B are shown in FIG. 8A due tothe limitations of the side view, each of the expandable bladder 124Aand the expandable bladder 124B may represent more than one expandablebladder, for example, with the additional expandable bladders hiddenfrom the view shown in FIG. 8A.

As shown in FIG. 8A, the expandable curtains 122A and 122B and theexpandable bladders 124A and 124B may be received in the stowed state ina housing 802, which may, in some examples, generally correspond to thehousing 132 shown in FIG. 1. As shown, the transverse ceiling trim panel704 may at least partially define the housing 802, which is coupled tothe ceiling 700 (see FIG. 7) and/or the vehicle roof 130 (see FIG. 1) ofthe vehicle 102. In the example shown, the transverse ceiling trim panel704 defines the transverse seam 708 (see FIG. 7), which may extend atleast partially the length of the transverse ceiling trim panel 704(i.e., into the page as shown in FIG. 8A), as described herein. In someexamples, the expandable curtains 122A and 122B and the expandablebladders 124A and 124B may be stowed in a fan-folded- or accordion-likefashion to improve deployment (e.g., to increase the rate of deploymentand/or to improve the completion of deployment). Other stowagearrangements are contemplated.

As shown in FIG. 8A, in some examples, the expandable curtains 122A and122B include a distal curtain end 804, and the expandable bladders 124Aand 124B include a distal bladder end 806. As shown in FIGS. 8A-8C, someexamples may include a tether 808 coupling each of the distal curtainends 804 to an associated one of the distal bladder ends 806, forexample, as shown.

Also shown in FIGS. 8A-8C are the example inflators 716, 724, 726, and734, which are respectively in flow communication with the expandablecurtain 122A, the expandable bladder 124A, the expandable curtain 122B,and the expandable bladder 124B. As explained herein, the deploymentcontroller 126 (FIG. 7) may be in communication with the inflators andmay be configured to activate the inflator 716 in flow communicationwith the transverse portion 212 of the expandable curtain 122A prior intime relative to activating the inflator 724 in flow communication withthe expandable bladder 124A, which is associated with the expandablecurtain 122A.

For example, FIG. 8B is a schematic partial side section view a firstinstance in the example deployment sequence 800, with the expandablecurtain 122A and the expandable bladder 124A beginning to deploy uponactivation of the inflator 716 in flow communication with the expandablecurtain 122A. Thereafter, the deployment controller may activate theinflator 724, which is in flow communication with the expandable bladder124A. As shown in FIG. 8B, activation of the inflator 716 creates aforce sufficient to create a transverse opening 810 through which thetransverse portion 212 of the expandable curtain 122A passes whenexpanding from the stowed state to the deployed state. The tether 808coupled to the distal bladder end 806 of the expandable bladder 124Abegins to pull the expandable bladder 124A toward its deployed state,assisting with deployment of the expandable bladder 124A, before and/orduring activation of the inflator 724 in flow communication with theexpandable bladder 124A. As shown, the transverse ceiling trim panel 704defines a transverse distal edge 812 configured to deflect through anarc from a central portion 814 of the transverse ceiling trim panel 704to a direction transverse to the ceiling 700 of the vehicle 102, forexample, as shown in FIGS. 8B and 8C. In some examples, the inflator 716associated with the expandable curtain 122A may have a higher capacity(e.g., a higher volume and/or flow rate) than the inflator 724associated with the expandable bladder 124A, for example, to provide aforce sufficient to cause the transverse ceiling trim panel 704 to openalong the transverse seam 708. In some examples, as a result of theability of the expandable curtain 122A to create the transverse opening810, the inflator 724 associated with the expandable bladder 124A mayhave a reduced capacity relative to the inflator 716 because, in someexamples, it may not contribute to, or may only partially contribute to,creating the transverse opening 810. In some examples, the inflator 724associated with the expandable bladder 124A may have an increasedcapacity relative to the inflator 716. In some examples, the inflatorsmay be selected or configured to activate with a force sufficient todeflect the trim panels, which may vary, for example, as a function ofmaterial properties of the trim panels and/or a cross-sectionalengagement area against which the expandable curtain and/or expandablebladder acts.

FIG. 8C schematically shows a second instance in the example deploymentsequence 800, with both the expandable curtain 122A and the expandablebladder 124A completely deployed. As shown, the tether 808 remainscoupled to the distal curtain end 804 of the expandable curtain 122A andthe distal bladder end 806 of the expandable bladder 124A. In someexamples, this may function to improve the stabilization of theexpandable bladder 124A against the reaction surface created by thesupport face side 220 of the expandable curtain 122A, for example, as aperson impacts the expandable bladder 124A.

In the example shown in FIGS. 8A-8C, the expandable curtain 122A and theexpandable bladder 124A are deployed independently from the expandablecurtain 122B and the expandable bladder 124B. FIGS. 9A-9C schematicallydepict an example deployment sequence 900 in which both the expandablecurtain 122A and the expandable curtain 122B are deployed concurrently(e.g., substantially simultaneously), followed by the concurrentdeployment of the expandable bladder 124A and the expandable bladder124B.

In some examples, for example, as shown in FIGS. 9A-9C, the distalcurtain ends 804 of the expandable curtain 122A and the expandablecurtain 122B may be coupled to one another via one or more tethers 902.The one or more tethers 902 may function to assist with deployment ofthe expandable curtains 122A and 122B and, in some examples, stabilizethe expandable curtains 122A and 122B once in the deployed state, forexample, as shown in FIG. 9C. The example shown in FIGS. 9A-9C, alsoincludes tethers 808 coupling the respective distal curtain ends 804 ofexpandable curtain 122A and the expandable curtain 122B and therespective distal bladder ends 806 of the expandable bladders 124A and124B to one another. This may function to improve the stabilization ofthe expandable bladders 124A and 124B against the respective reactionsurfaces created by the respective support face sides 220 of theexpandable curtains 122A and 122B, and/or to act in a redundant mannerfor safety, for example, if one inflator fails or activates with a forceinsufficient to deflect the associated trim panel.

As shown in FIG. 9B, deployment may commence, for example, when thedeployment controller 126 (not shown in FIGS. 9A-9C) activates theinflators 716 and 726 respectively associated with the expandablecurtain 122A and the expandable curtain 122B. In some examples, this mayoccur concurrently (e.g., substantially simultaneously), as shown inFIG. 9B.

Thereafter, the deployment controller 126 may activate either one ormore of the inflator 724 and the inflator 734, which are in flowcommunication with the expandable bladder 124A and the expandablebladder 124B, respectively. As shown in FIG. 9B, activation of theinflators 716 and 726 creates a force sufficient to create a transverseopening 810 through which the transverse portions 212 of the expandablecurtains 122A and 122B pass when expanding from the stowed state to thedeployed state. The tether 808 coupled to the distal bladder end 806 ofthe expandable bladder 124A, and the tether 808 coupled to the remotebladder end 806 of the expandable bladder 124B, begin to pull theexpandable bladders 124A and 124B toward the respective deployed states,assisting with deployment of the expandable bladders 124A and 124B,before and/or during activation of the inflators 724 and 734 in flowcommunication respectively with the expandable bladders 124A and 124B.As shown, the transverse ceiling trim panel 704 defines a pair oftransverse distal edges 812 configured to deflect through an arc from acentral portion 814 of the transverse ceiling trim panel 704 to adirection transverse to the ceiling 700 of the vehicle 102, for example,as shown in FIGS. 9B and 9C. In some examples, the inflators 716 and 726associated with the expandable curtains 122A and 122B may have a highercapacity (e.g., a higher volume, higher pressure, and/or higher flowrate) than the inflators 724 and/or 734 associated with the expandablebladders 124A and 124B, for example, to provide a force sufficient tocause the transverse ceiling trim panel 704 to open along the transverseseam 708. In some examples, as a result of the ability of the inflators716 and 726 and the deployment of the expandable curtains 122A and 122Bto create the transverse opening 810, the inflators 724 and 734associated with the expandable bladders 124A and 124B may have reducedcapacities relative to the inflators 716 and 726, since, in someexamples, they may not contribute, or may only partially contribute, tocreating the transverse opening 810.

FIG. 9C schematically shows a second instance in the example deploymentsequence 900, with both expandable curtains 122A and 122B, and bothexpandable bladders 124A and 124B completely deployed. As shown, thetethers 808 remain coupled to the respective distal curtain ends 804 ofthe expandable curtains 122A and 122B and the respective distal bladderends 806 of the expandable bladders 124A and 124B. In some examples,this may function to improve the stabilization of the expandablebladders 124A and 124B against the respective reaction surfaces createdby the support face sides 220 of the expandable curtains 122A and 122B.Although FIGS. 8A-8C and 9A-9C show examples in which the expandablecurtains 122A and 122B, and the expandable bladders 124A and 124B passthrough a central opening 810 of the transverse ceiling trim panel 704,in some examples, the transverse ceiling trim panel 704 may beconfigured, such that upon deployment the expandable curtain 122A and/orthe expandable bladder 124A pass through a first lateral opening, andthe expandable curtain 122B and/or the expandable bladder 124B passthrough a second lateral opening, for example, with the first lateralopening and the second lateral opening being on opposite sides of acentral portion of the transverse ceiling trim panel 704.

FIGS. 10A-10C schematically depict a side view of an example deploymentsequence 1000 taken along line B-B of FIG. 7 as the example side 210 ofthe expandable curtain 122A changes from a stowed state in FIG. 10A to adeployed state in FIG. 10C. As schematically depicted in FIGS. 10A and10B, the side 210 of the expandable curtain 122A may be stowed in afan-folded- or accordion-like fashion to improve deployment (e.g., toincrease the rate of deployment and/or to improve the completion ofdeployment). Other stowage arrangements are contemplated. Although onlya single side 210 and associated structures are shown in FIGS. 10A-10C,one or more of the other sides 210 of the expandable curtains 122A and122B may have the same, or similar, configuration.

As shown in FIG. 10A, the side 210 of the expandable curtain 122A is ina stowed state covered by the example joining ceiling trim panel 712. Inthe example shown, the joining ceiling trim panel 712 defineslongitudinal seam 710 extending substantially parallel to thelongitudinal axis L (see FIG. 7), and the longitudinal seam 710 isconfigured to create an opening through which at least a portion of theside 210 of the expandable curtain 122A passes when deploying from thestowed state to the deployed state.

For example, as shown in FIG. 10B, at an example first instance in thedeployment sequence 1000, the side 210 of the expandable curtain 122Abegins to deploy upon activation of the inflator 720 as the joiningceiling trim panel 712 deflects. As shown, the joining ceiling trimpanel 712 defines an interior edge 1004 configured to be remote from afirst side 1006 of the vehicle 102 and an exterior edge 1008 configuredto be between the interior edge 1004 and the first side 1006 of thevehicle 102. In the example shown, the interior edge 1004 of the joiningceiling trim panel 712 is configured to deflect through an arc from aremaining portion of the joining ceiling trim panel 712 to a directiontransverse to the ceiling 700 of the vehicle 102 along the longitudinalseam 710. When the deployment controller 126 (FIG. 7) activates theinflator 720, the side 210 of the expandable curtain 122A causes thelongitudinal seam 710 to separate from ceiling 700 and/or anotherportion of the joining ceiling trim panel 712 and create an openingthrough which at least a portion of the side 210 of the expandablecurtain 122A deploys.

FIG. 10C is shows a second instance in the example deployment sequence1000 with the side 210 of the expandable curtain 122A completelydeployed. As schematically shown, the joining ceiling trim panel 712 hasdeflected through an arc to a direction transverse to the ceiling 700 ofthe vehicle 102 along the longitudinal seam 710. In some examples, theopening created by deflection of the joining ceiling trim panel 712 maybe contiguous with the opening created by deflection of the transverseceiling trim panel 704.

FIGS. 11A-11C schematically depict a side view of an example deploymentsequence 1100 taken along line C-C of FIG. 7 of the example side 210 ofthe expandable curtain 122A as it changes from a stowed state in FIG.11A to a deployed state in FIG. 11C. Although only a single side 210 ofthe expandable curtain 122A and associated structures are shown in FIGS.11A-11C, one or more of the other sides 210 of the expandable curtains122A and 122B may have the same, or similar, configuration.

As shown in FIG. 11A, the side 210 of the expandable curtain 122A is ina stowed state covered by the side ceiling trim panel 706. In theexample shown, the side ceiling trim panel 706 defines longitudinal seam710 extending substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis L (seeFIG. 7), and the longitudinal seam 710 is configured to create anopening through which at least a portion of the side 210 of theexpandable curtain 122A passes when deploying from the stowed state tothe deployed state.

For example, as shown in FIG. 11B, at an example first instance in thedeployment sequence 1100, the side 210 of the expandable curtain 122Abegins to deploy upon activation of the inflator 720 as the side ceilingtrim panel 706 deflects. As shown, the side ceiling trim panel 706defines an interior edge 1102 configured to be remote from the firstside 1006 of the vehicle 102 and an exterior edge 1104 configured to bebetween the interior edge 1102 and the first side 1006 of the vehicle102. In the example shown, the exterior edge 1104 of the side ceilingtrim panel 706 is configured to deflect through an arc from the ceiling700 or a remaining portion of the side ceiling trim panel 706 to adirection transverse to the ceiling 700 of the vehicle 102 along thelongitudinal seam 710. When the deployment controller 126 (FIG. 7)activates the inflator 720, the side 210 of the expandable curtain 122Acauses the longitudinal seam 710 to separate from ceiling 700 and/oranother portion of the side ceiling trim panel 706 and create an openingthrough which at least a portion of the side 210 of the expandablecurtain 122A deploys.

FIG. 11C is shows a second instance in the example deployment sequence1100 with the side 210 of the expandable curtain 122A completelydeployed. As schematically shown, the side ceiling trim panel 706 hasdeflected through an arc to a direction transverse to the ceiling 700 ofthe vehicle 102 along the longitudinal seam 710. In some examples, theopening created by deflection of the side ceiling trim panel 706 may becontiguous with one or more of the opening created by deflection of thetransverse ceiling trim panel 704 (see FIGS. 8A-8C and 9A-9C), theopening created by deflection of the joining ceiling trim panel 712 (seeFIGS. 10A-10C), an opening created by deflection a second joiningceiling trim panel 712, or an opening created by a second side ceilingtrim panel 706. Such a contiguous opening may be configured to permitthe respective sides 204 and 210 (see FIG. 7) and the transverse portion212 of the expandable curtain 122A (and/or the expandable curtain 122B)to deploy in a contiguous configuration (e.g., a U-shaped configurationas viewed in cross-section from above or below (see e.g., FIG. 7).

FIG. 12 shows an example architecture 1200 including an example occupantprotection system 120. In the example shown, the example occupantprotection system 120 includes an expandable occupant protection system338 and a seatbelt system 340, which controls operation of systemsrelated to the seatbelts in the vehicle 102. In the example shown, theexpandable occupant protection system 338 includes one or moreexpandable curtain(s) 122 and one or more expandable bladder(s) 124, forexample, as described herein. The expandable curtain(s) 122 may eachinclude one or more of a first side 204, a second side 210, and atransverse portion 212 extending between the first side 204 and secondside 210 and, in some examples, coupling the first and second sides 204and 210 to one another, as explained herein. The expandable bladder(s)124 may each include one or more of a first expandable lateral arrester502, a second expandable lateral arrester 504, and a central expandablearrester 508, for example, as described herein.

In the example architecture 1200 shown in FIG. 12, the occupantprotection system 120 also includes a deployment controller 126, whichmay include one or more inflators 134 (e.g., the inflators 716, 718,720, 722, 724, 726, 728, 730, 732, and 734 shown in FIG. 7) configuredto supply fluid and/or gas to the expandable curtain(s) 122 and/or theexpandable bladder(s) 124, for example, when activated by the deploymentcontroller 126, as described herein.

In some examples, the deployment controller 126 may be configured toreceive a signal indicative of a predicted collision involving thevehicle 102 and/or a collision involving the vehicle 102, and causedeployment of one or more expandable curtains 122, and/or one or moreexpandable bladders 124 based at least in part on the signal(s). Forexample, the sensor system(s) 306 of the vehicle 102 (see FIG. 3) mayprovide information to the perception component 322 and/or planningcomponent 324, which may predict a collision with an object in theenvironment through which the vehicle 102 is travelling. The perceptioncomponent 322 and/or planning component 324 may provide information to asafety system actuator 1202, which in turn, provides one or more signalsto the deployment controller 126, which may activate one more inflators134 to cause deployment of one or more expandable curtains 122 and/orone or more expandable bladders 124, for example, as described herein.

In some examples, the deployment controller 126 may be configured toreceive one or more signals indicative of the presence of an occupant104 in a first location of the vehicle 102 associated with (e.g., withinan effective range of) one of the expandable bladders 124, and causedeployment of the corresponding expandable curtain 122 and/or expandablebladder 124 associated with the position of the occupant 104 based atleast in part on the one or more signals. For example, the perceptioncomponent 322 of the vehicle 102 may include an object classificationsystem configured to determine information related, for example, towhether an object and/or occupant 104 is present in one or more of therespective seats 106 of the vehicle 102. In some examples, the objectclassification system may leverage one or more of the sensor system(s)306 of the vehicle 102 and determine information about the object and/oroccupant 104, such as, for example, the size and/or weight of the objectand/or occupant 104 (e.g., whether the occupant 104 is an adult, achild, or an infant). For example, image systems (e.g., cameras)internal to the vehicle 102 may determine presence of an occupant 104(and/or other object) in a seat 106. If no occupant 104 is present, thedeployment controller 126 may receive one or more signals associatedwith whether an occupant 104 is in the seat 106, for example, via thesafety system actuator 1202, and based at least in part on the one ormore signals, determine whether to initiate deployment of, before orduring a collision, the expandable curtain 122 and/or the expandablebladder 124 associated with (e.g., within an effective range of) theseat 106. For example, if an occupant 104 is not present in the seat106, the deployment controller 126 may not initiate deployment of theexpandable curtain 122 and/or the expandable bladder 124. This mayprevent unnecessary deployment and prevent costs associated withservicing deployed parts of the occupant protection system 120.Alternatively, if an occupant 104 is present in the seat 106, thedeployment controller 126 may initiate deployment of the expandablecurtain 122 and/or the expandable bladder 124 associated with (e.g.,within an effective range of) the position of the occupant 104 toprotect the occupant 104 during the collision. In at least someexamples, the deployment controller 126 may initiate deployment of oneor more expandable curtains 122 and/or one or more expandable bladders124, regardless of whether an occupant is present.

In some examples, the deployment controller 126 may be configured toreceive one or more signals indicative of whether the occupant 104 isproperly wearing a seatbelt, and cause and/or control deployment of theexpandable curtain 122 and/or the expandable bladder 124 associated withthe position of the occupant 104 based at least in part on the one ormore signals indicative of whether the occupant 104 is properly wearingthe seatbelt. For example, the sensor system(s) 306 of the vehicle 102may determine whether the occupant 104 is properly wearing a seatbelt.The deployment controller 126 may receive one or more such signals and,based at least in part on the signals, initiate and/or controldeployment of the expandable curtain 122 and/or the expandable bladder124 before or during a collision involving the vehicle 102.

For example, if the occupant 104 is wearing a seatbelt, the deploymentcontroller 126 may reduce the deployment rate and/or the deploymentvolume (or pressure) of the expandable curtain 122 and/or expandablebladder 124, for example, because the seatbelt will be expected toassist with preventing injury to the occupant 104 during the collision.If, on the other hand, the occupant 104 is not properly wearing aseatbelt, the deployment controller 126 may maintain or increase thedeployment rate and/or the deployment volume (or pressure) of theexpandable curtain 122 and/or expandable bladder 124, for example,because the seatbelt will not be expected to assist with preventinginjury to the occupant 104 during the collision.

In some examples, deployment of one or more of the expandable curtain122 and/or one or more of the expandable bladders 124 may be affected bya number of parameters. For example, the deployment rate, the deploymentvolume (and/or pressure), the timing of deployment, and/or the sequenceof deployment of one or more of the expandable curtain 122 or theexpandable bladders 124 may be altered based at least in part on one ormore parameters, such as, for example, the severity of a collisionimpact, whether one or more occupants 104 is/are properly wearing aseatbelt, and/or the size and/or weight of the occupant(s) 104 (e.g.,depending on whether the occupant is an adult, a child, or an infant).

In some examples, the expandable curtain 122 and one or more of theexpandable bladders 124 may be deployed independently from one another.For example, the expandable curtain 122 may be deployed withoutdeploying any of the expandable bladders 124. For example, if objectsare detected in the interior 100 of the vehicle 102 and a rapid changein the speed and/or direction of travel of the vehicle 102 occurs, theexpandable curtain 122 alone may be deployed to prevent objects in thevehicle 102 from being tossed around inside the vehicle 102 during therapid change in speed and/or direction. This may be particularly usefulwhen, for example, an occupant 104 is in a seat 106 facing a seat onwhich one or more objects have been placed. Upon the rapid change ofspeed and/or direction, the expandable curtain 122 may be deployed inorder to prevent the one or more objects from being thrown from the seatopposite the occupant 104 into the occupant 104.

The deployment controller 126, in some examples, may be configured toreceive one or more signals indicative of a direction of travel of thevehicle 102, and cause deployment of the expandable curtain 122 and/orthe expandable bladder 124 based at least in part on the one or moresignals indicative of the direction of travel of the vehicle 102. Forexample, the vehicle 102 may be a bi-directional vehicle configured totravel between locations with either end of the vehicle 102 being theleading end, for example, as described herein with respect to FIG. 1. Insuch vehicles, a seat 106 may be facing the direction of travel when thevehicle 102 is traveling with one end of the vehicle being the leadingend, but with the seat 106 facing rearward with the other end of thevehicle 102 being the leading end. The vehicle 102 may include sensorsand/or a system configured to generate one or more signals indicative ofwhether the vehicle 102 is traveling in a direction such that the seat106 is facing forward (i.e., along a direction of travel) or the seat106 is facing rearward (i.e., opposing a direction of travel). Thedeployment controller 126 may be configured to prevent deployment of theexpandable curtain 122 and/or the expandable bladder 124 associated withthe seat 106, even when occupied, for example, when the seat 106 isfacing rearward based at least in part on the signals. This may preventunnecessary deployment and costs associated with servicing deployedparts of the occupant protection system 120. Alternatively, if the seat106 is facing forward, the deployment controller 126 may initiatedeployment of the expandable curtain 122 and/or the expandable bladder124 associated with the position of the seat 106 to protect the occupant104 during the collision, for example, as described herein.

In various implementations, the parameter values and other dataillustrated herein may be included in one or more data stores, and maybe combined with other information not described or may be partitioneddifferently into more, fewer, or different data structures. In someimplementations, data stores may be physically located in one memory ormay be distributed among two or more memories.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the example architectures300 and 1200 are merely illustrative and are not intended to limit thescope of the present disclosure. In particular, the computing system anddevices may include any combination of hardware or software that canperform the indicated functions, including computers, network devices,internet appliances, tablet computers, PDAs, wireless phones, pagers,etc. The architectures 300 and 1200 may also be connected to otherdevices that are not illustrated, or instead may operate as astand-alone system. In addition, the functionality provided by theillustrated components may in some implementations be combined in fewercomponents or distributed in additional components. Similarly, in someimplementations, the functionality of some of the illustrated componentsmay not be provided and/or other additional functionality may beavailable.

Those skilled in the art will also appreciate that, while various itemsare illustrated as being stored in memory or storage while being used,these items or portions of them may be transferred between memory andother storage devices for purposes of memory management and dataintegrity. Alternatively, in other implementations, some or all of thesoftware components may execute in memory on another device andcommunicate with the illustrated architectures 300 and 1200. Some or allof the system components or data structures may also be stored (e.g., asinstructions or structured data) on a non-transitory,computer-accessible medium or a portable article to be read by anappropriate drive, various examples of which are described above. Insome implementations, instructions stored on a computer-accessiblemedium separate from the architectures 300 and 1200 may be transmittedto the architectures 300 and 1200 via transmission media or signals suchas electrical, electromagnetic, or digital signals, conveyed via acommunication medium such as a wireless link. Various implementationsmay further include receiving, sending, or storing instructions and/ordata implemented in accordance with the foregoing description on acomputer-accessible medium. Accordingly, the techniques described hereinmay be practiced with other control system configurations. Additionalinformation about the operations of the modules of the vehicle 102 isdiscussed below.

FIGS. 13 and 14 are flow diagrams of example processes illustrated as acollection of blocks in a logical flow graph, which represent a sequenceof operations that can be implemented in hardware, software, or acombination thereof. In the context of software, the blocks representcomputer-executable instructions stored on one or more computer-readablestorage media that, when executed by one or more processors, perform therecited operations. Generally, computer-executable instructions includeroutines, programs, objects, components, data structures, and the likethat perform particular functions or implement particular abstract datatypes. The order in which the operations are described is not intendedto be construed as a limitation, and any number of the described blockscan be combined in any order and/or in parallel to implement theprocesses.

FIG. 13 is a flow diagram of an example process 1300 for deploying anexpandable occupant protection system. At 1302, the example process 1300may include receiving a collision signal indicative of at least one of acollision or a predicted collision, for example, involving anothervehicle or an object. In some examples, collision signals may begenerated by, for example, the perception and/or planning components andmay be received by a deployment controller, for example, as describedherein.

At 1304, the example process 1300 may include receiving an occupantsignal indicative of whether an occupant (and/or object) is present in aseat of the vehicle. For example, an object classification system and/orother portions of vehicle systems may generate signals indicative ofwhether an occupant is present in a seat of the vehicle, and in someexamples, one or more signals indicative of the seat in which theoccupant is seated. In some examples, such signals may be received bythe deployment controller, for example, as described herein.

At 1306, the example process 1300 may include determining, based atleast partially on the occupant signal, whether there is an occupantpresent in a seat. If not, the example process 1300 may return to 1302without activating an occupant protection system, including anexpandable occupant protection system.

On the other hand, if there is an occupant present in a seat of thevehicle, the example process 1300 may include at 1308 causing atransverse ceiling trim panel to deflect and create a transverse openingto allow deployment of a transverse portion of an expandable curtain,for example, as described herein. In some examples, this may include adeployment controller activating an inflator in flow communication withthe transverse portion of the expandable curtain. In some examples,activation of the inflator may cause the transverse portion of theexpandable curtain to begin deployment, which may provide a forceagainst the transverse ceiling trim panel sufficient to cause atransverse seam associated with the transverse ceiling trim panel toopen, thereby permitting deployment of the transverse portion of theexpandable curtain through the opening created and ultimately achieveits deployed state.

At 1310, some examples of the process 1300 may include causing a firstside ceiling trim panel to deflect and create a longitudinal opening toallow deployment of a first side of the expandable curtain to a deployedstate, for example, as described herein. In some examples, this mayinclude the deployment controller activating an inflator in flowcommunication with the first side of the expandable curtain. In someexamples, activation of the inflator may cause the first side of theexpandable curtain to begin deployment, which may provide a forceagainst the first side ceiling trim panel sufficient to cause alongitudinal seam associated with the first side ceiling trim panel toopen, thereby permitting deployment of at least a portion of the firstside of the expandable curtain through the opening created andultimately achieve its deployed state.

In some examples, 1308 and 1310 may occur concurrently (e.g.,substantially simultaneously). In some examples, the process may alsoinclude causing a second side ceiling trim panel to deflect and create alongitudinal opening to allow deployment of a second side of theexpandable curtain to a deployed state, for example, as describedherein. In some examples, this may include the deployment controlleractivating an inflator in flow communication with the second side of theexpandable curtain. In some examples, activation of the inflator maycause the second side of the expandable curtain to begin deployment,which may provide a force against the second side ceiling trim panelsufficient to cause a longitudinal seam associated with the second sideceiling trim panel to open, thereby permitting deployment of at least aportion of the second side of the expandable curtain through the openingcreated and ultimately achieve its deployed state. In some examples,activation of the inflator associated with the second side of theexpandable curtain may occur concurrently with 1308 and 1310, forexample as described herein. In some examples, the process 1300 may alsoinclude activating one or more inflators in flow communication withrespective expandable bladders, for example, as described herein.

FIG. 14 is a flow diagram of an example process 1400 for deploying anexpandable occupant protection system. At 1402, the example process 1400may include receiving a collision signal indicative of at least one of acollision or a predicted collision, for example, involving anothervehicle or an object. In some examples, collision signals may begenerated by, for example, the perception and/or planning components andmay be received by a deployment controller, for example, as describedherein.

At 1404, the example process 1400 may include receiving an occupantsignal indicative of whether an occupant and/or object is present in aseat of the vehicle. For example, an object classification system and/orother portions of vehicle systems may generate signals indicative ofwhether an occupant and/or object is present in a seat of the vehicle,and in some examples, one or more signals indicative of the seat inwhich the occupant is seated or object is located. In some examples,such signals may be received by the deployment controller, for example,as described herein.

At 1406, the example process 1400 may include determining, based atleast partially on the occupant signal, whether there is an occupantand/or object present in a seat. If not, the example process 1400 mayreturn to 1402 without activating an occupant protection system,including an expandable occupant protection system.

On the other hand, if there is an occupant and/or object present in aseat of the vehicle, the example process 1400 may include at 1408deploying, via a first inflator at a first time, an expandable curtainfrom a stowed state to a deployed state presenting a reaction surface.In some examples, the expandable curtain may include a transverseportion presenting the reaction surface and a first side orthogonal withrespect to the transverse portion and extending in a directionsubstantially parallel with respect to a longitudinal axis of thevehicle. In some such examples, at 1408, the process 1400 may includedeploying, via the first inflator at the first time, the transverseportion of the expandable curtain, and deploying, via the first inflatorand/or a second inflator at the first time, the first side of theexpandable curtain from a stowed state to a deployed state. In someexamples, the expandable curtain may include a second side spaced fromand opposite the first side of the expandable curtain. In some suchexamples, at 1408, the process 1400 may include deploying, via the firstinflator at the first time, the transverse portion of the expandablecurtain, deploying, via the first inflator and/or a second inflator atthe first time, the first side of the expandable curtain from a stowedstate to a deployed state, and deploying, via the first inflator, thesecond inflator, and/or a third inflator at the first time, the secondside of the expandable curtain from a stowed state to a deployed state.In some such examples, the first side, the second side, and thetransverse portion of the expandable curtain may provide a contiguousbarrier.

In some examples, the occupant protection system may include a secondexpandable curtain, for example, as described herein. In some suchexamples, the process 1400, at 1408, may include deploying, via one ormore inflators (e.g., the first, second, and/or third inflators) at thefirst time, the second expandable curtain from a stowed state to adeployed state presenting a second reaction surface. Some such examplesof the process 1400 may include deploying a first side, a transverseportion, and/or a second side of the second expandable curtain, forexample, in a manner at least similar to the manner in which the firstexpandable curtain may be deployed.

At 1410, the example process 1400 may include deploying, via a secondinflator at a second time after the first time, an expandable bladderincluding an occupant facing surface and a rear surface opposite theoccupant facing surface from a stowed state to a deployed state, suchthat the rear surface of the expandable bladder contacts the reactionsurface of the expandable curtain. In some examples, the deploymentcontroller may be in communication with the fourth inflator and activatethe fourth inflator. For example, the deployment controller may beconfigured to activate the fourth inflator in flow communication withexpandable bladder and may activate the expandable bladder afterdeployment of the expandable curtain following a time delay (e.g., atime delay of about 500 milliseconds or less, a time delay of about 250milliseconds or less, a time delay of about 100 milliseconds or less, atime delay of about 50 milliseconds or less, a time delay of about 25milliseconds or less, or a time delay of about 5 milliseconds or less).In some examples, the occupant protection system may include more thanone expandable bladder. For example, the occupant protection system mayinclude an expandable bladder corresponding to one or more seats in thevehicle, for example, each seat of the vehicle. In some such examples,at 1410, the process 1400 may include deploying via the fourth inflatorand/or one or more additional inflators (e.g., an inflator for each ofthe expandable bladders) at the second time after the first time, one ormore of the additional expandable bladders, each including an occupantfacing surface and a rear surface opposite the occupant facing surface,from a stowed state to a deployed state, such that the respective rearsurfaces of the expandable bladders contact the reaction surface of theexpandable curtain. In examples including a second expandable curtain,the process 1400, at 1410, may also include deploying one or moreadditional expandable bladders at the second time, such that therespective rear surfaces of the additional expandable bladders contactthe reaction surface of the second expandable curtain.

It should be appreciated that the subject matter presented herein may beimplemented as a computer process, a computer-controlled apparatus, acomputing system, or an article of manufacture, such as acomputer-readable storage medium. While the subject matter describedherein is presented in the general context of program modules thatexecute on one or more computing devices, those skilled in the art willrecognize that other implementations may be performed in combinationwith other types of program modules. Generally, program modules includeroutines, programs, components, data structures, and other types ofstructures that perform particular tasks or implement particularabstract data types.

Those skilled in the art will also appreciate that aspects of thesubject matter described herein may be practiced on or in conjunctionwith other computer system configurations beyond those described herein,including multiprocessor systems, microprocessor-based or programmableconsumer electronics, minicomputers, mainframe computers, handheldcomputers, mobile telephone devices, tablet computing devices,special-purposed hardware devices, network appliances, and the like.

Based on the foregoing, it should be appreciated that technologies fordeploying an occupant protection system have been presented herein.Moreover, although the subject matter presented herein has beendescribed in language specific to computer structural features,methodological acts, and computer readable media, it is to be understoodthat the invention defined in the appended claims is not necessarilylimited to the specific features, acts, or media described herein.Rather, the specific features, acts, and media are disclosed as exampleforms of implementing the subject matter recited in the claims.

The subject matter described above is provided by way of illustrationonly and should not be construed as limiting. Furthermore, the claimedsubject matter is not limited to implementations that solve any or alldisadvantages noted in any part of this disclosure. Variousmodifications and changes may be made to the subject matter describedherein without following the examples and applications illustrated anddescribed, and without departing from the spirit and scope of thepresent invention, which is set forth in the following claims.

Example Clauses

An example occupant protection system for a vehicle, the occupantprotection system comprising:

an expandable curtain configured to expand from a stowed state to adeployed state, wherein the expandable curtain in the deployed statecomprises:

-   -   a first side configured to extend along a portion of a first        interior side of the vehicle in a first direction;    -   a second side spaced from the first side and configured to        extend in a direction substantially parallel to the first        direction; and    -   a transverse portion extending in a second direction transverse        to the first direction, the transverse portion providing a        reaction surface, wherein the first side, the transverse        portion, and the second side of the expandable curtain form a        contiguous barrier;

an expandable bladder comprising an occupant facing surface and a rearsurface opposite the occupant facing surface, the expandable bladderconfigured to expand from a stowed state to a deployed state, such thatin the deployed state the rear surface of the expandable bladdercontacts the reaction surface of the transverse portion of theexpandable curtain;

a transverse ceiling trim panel configured to be coupled to a ceiling ofthe vehicle and extending substantially parallel to the seconddirection, the transverse ceiling trim panel configured to cover thetransverse portion of the expandable curtain in the stowed state and todeflect to allow expansion of the transverse portion to the deployedstate; and

a side ceiling trim panel configured to be coupled to the ceiling of thevehicle and extending substantially parallel to the first direction, theside ceiling trim panel configured to cover the side of the expandablecurtain in the stowed state and to deflect to allow expansion of thefirst side of the expandable curtain to the deployed state.

B. The occupant protection system of example A, wherein the transverseceiling trim panel comprises a transverse seam extending substantiallyparallel to the second direction, and wherein the transverse seam isconfigured to create a transverse opening through which the transverseportion of the expandable curtain passes when expanding from the stowedstate to the deployed state.

C. The occupant protection system of example A or example B, wherein theside ceiling trim panel comprises a longitudinal seam extendingsubstantially parallel to the first direction, and wherein thelongitudinal seam is configured to create a longitudinal opening throughwhich the first side of the expandable curtain passes when expandingfrom the stowed state to the deployed state.

D. The occupant protection system of any one of example A throughexample C, wherein the transverse ceiling trim panel and the sideceiling trim panel are configured to create a contiguous opening throughwhich the transverse portion and the first side pass when expanding fromthe stowed state to the deployed state.

E. The occupant protection system of any one of example A throughexample D, wherein at least a portion of the transverse ceiling trimpanel proximate the transverse seam is configured to deflect through anarc away from the ceiling of the vehicle.

F. The occupant protection system of any one of example A throughexample E, wherein at least a portion of the side ceiling trim panelproximate the longitudinal seam is configured to deflect through an arcaway from the ceiling of the vehicle.

G. An example ceiling trim panel system for a vehicle, the ceiling trimpanel system comprising:

a transverse ceiling trim panel configured to be coupled to a ceiling ofthe vehicle and extend in a first direction substantially transverserelative to a longitudinal axis of the vehicle, the transverse ceilingtrim panel configured to cover a transverse portion of an expandablecurtain in a stowed state and to deflect to allow deployment of thetransverse portion of the expandable curtain to a deployed state.

H. The ceiling trim panel system of example G, further comprising afirst side ceiling trim panel configured to be coupled to the ceiling ofthe vehicle and extend in a second direction substantially parallel tothe longitudinal axis of the vehicle, the first side ceiling trim panelconfigured to cover a first side of the expandable curtain in the stowedstate and to deflect to allow deployment of the first side of theexpandable curtain to a deployed state.

I. The ceiling trim panel system of example G or example H, wherein thetransverse ceiling trim panel comprises a transverse seam extendingsubstantially parallel to the first direction, and wherein thetransverse seam is configured to create an opening through which thetransverse portion of the expandable curtain passes when deploying fromthe stowed state to the deployed state.

J. The ceiling trim panel system of any one of example G through exampleI, wherein the first side ceiling trim panel comprises longitudinal seamextending substantially parallel to the second direction, and whereinthe longitudinal seam is configured to create an opening through whichthe first side of the expandable curtain passes when deploying from thestowed state to the deployed state.

K. The ceiling trim panel system of any one of example G through exampleJ, wherein the transverse ceiling trim panel and the first side ceilingtrim panel are configured to create a contiguous opening through whichthe transverse portion and the first side pass when deploying from thestowed state to the deployed state.

L. The ceiling trim panel system of any one of example G through exampleK, wherein at least a portion of the transverse ceiling trim panelproximate the transverse seam is configured to deflect through an arcaway from the ceiling of the vehicle.

M. The ceiling trim panel system of any one of example G through exampleL, wherein at least a portion of the first side ceiling trim panelproximate the longitudinal seam is configured to deflect through an arcfrom a portion of the first side ceiling trim panel to a positiontransverse to the ceiling of the vehicle.

N. The ceiling trim panel system of any one of example G through exampleM, further comprising a joining ceiling trim panel associated with thetransverse ceiling trim panel and the first side ceiling trim panel, thejoining ceiling trim panel configured to be coupled to the ceiling ofthe vehicle and cover a portion of one or more of the transverse portionof the expandable curtain or the first side of the expandable curtain inthe stowed state and to deflect to allow deployment of one or more ofthe transverse portion or the first side of the expandable curtain to adeployed state.

O. The ceiling trim panel system of any one of example G through exampleN, further comprising a second side ceiling trim panel spaced from thefirst side ceiling trim panel and configured to be coupled to theceiling of the vehicle and extend substantially parallel to the seconddirection, the second side ceiling trim panel configured to cover asecond side of the expandable curtain in the stowed state and to deflectto allow deployment of the second side to a deployed state.

P. The ceiling trim panel system of any one of example G through exampleO, wherein the second side ceiling trim panel comprises secondlongitudinal seam extending substantially parallel to the seconddirection, and wherein the second longitudinal seam is configured tocreate an opening through which the second side of the expandablecurtain passes when deploying from the stowed state to the deployedstate.

Q. An example method of creating an opening through which an expandablecurtain deploys from a stowed state to a deployed state, the methodcomprising:

providing a transverse ceiling trim panel coupled to a ceiling of thevehicle and extending in a first direction substantially transverserelative to a longitudinal axis of the vehicle, the transverse ceilingtrim panel covering a transverse portion of an expandable curtain in astowed state;

providing a first side ceiling trim panel coupled to the ceiling of thevehicle and extending in a second direction substantially parallel tothe longitudinal axis of the vehicle, the first side ceiling trim panelcovering a first side of the expandable curtain in a stowed state;

causing the transverse ceiling trim panel to deflect and create atransverse opening to allow deployment of the transverse portion of theexpandable curtain to a deployed state; and

causing the first side ceiling trim panel to deflect and create alongitudinal opening to allow deployment of the first side of theexpandable curtain to a deployed state.

R. The method of example Q, wherein causing the transverse ceiling trimpanel to deflect and causing the first side ceiling trim to deflectoccur concurrently.

S. The method of example Q or example R, wherein the transverse openingand the longitudinal opening are contiguous.

T. The method of any one of example Q through example S, wherein:

causing the transverse ceiling trim panel to deflect comprises causing atransverse seam defined by the transverse ceiling trim panel to open andcreate the transverse opening; and

causing the first side ceiling trim panel to deflect comprises causing alongitudinal seam defined by the first side ceiling trim panel to openand create the longitudinal opening.

U. An example occupant protection system for a vehicle, the occupantprotection system comprising:

an expandable curtain configured to expand from a stowed state to adeployed state, wherein the expandable curtain in the deployed statecomprises:

-   -   a first side configured to extend along a portion of a first        interior side of the vehicle in a first direction; and    -   a transverse portion extending in a second direction transverse        to the first direction, the transverse portion providing a        reaction surface, wherein the first side and the transverse        portion of the expandable curtain form a contiguous barrier;

an expandable bladder comprising an occupant facing surface and a rearsurface opposite the occupant facing surface, the expandable bladderconfigured to expand from a stowed state to a deployed state, such thatin the deployed state the rear surface of the expandable bladdercontacts the reaction surface of the transverse portion of theexpandable curtain;

a first inflator in flow communication with the expandable curtain andconfigured, upon activation of the first inflator, to cause theexpandable curtain to expand from the stowed state to the deployedstate;

a second inflator in flow communication with the expandable bladder andconfigured, upon activation of the second inflator, to cause theexpandable bladder to expand from the stowed state to the deployedstate; and

a deployment controller in communication with the first inflator and thesecond inflator, and configured to activate the first inflator and thesecond inflator.

V. The occupant protection system of example U, wherein the deploymentcontroller is configured to activate the first inflator prior toactivation of the second inflator.

W. The occupant protection system of example U or example V, whereinactivation of the first inflator is configured to separate at least aportion of a trim panel from the ceiling of the vehicle and to create anopening though which the expandable curtain and the expandable bladderexpand.

X. The occupant protection system of any one of example U throughexample W, wherein at least a portion of the expandable bladder iscoupled to at least a portion of the expandable curtain.

Y. The occupant protection system of any one of example U throughexample X, wherein in the deployed state, the expandable curtaincomprises a distal curtain end, and the expandable bladder in thedeployed state comprises a distal bladder end, wherein the occupantprotection system further comprises a tether coupling the distal curtainend and the distal bladder end.

Z. An example deployment system for an occupant protection system, thedeployment system comprising:

a deployment controller configured to activate an inflator in flowcommunication with one or more of an expandable curtain or an expandablebladder;

a first inflator in flow communication with one or more of theexpandable curtain or the expandable bladder and configured to cause,upon activation of the first inflator by the deployment controller, oneor more of the expandable curtain or the expandable bladder to deployfrom a stowed state to a deployed state.

AA. The deployment system of example Z, further comprising a secondinflator in flow communication with the expandable bladder andconfigured to cause, upon activation of the second inflator by thedeployment controller, the expandable bladder to deploy from a stowedstate to a deployed state, wherein the deployment controller isconfigured to activate the first inflator prior to activating the secondinflator.

BB. The deployment system of example Z or example AA, further comprisinga third inflator in flow communication with the expandable curtain andconfigured to cause, upon activation of the third inflator by thedeployment controller, a first portion of the expandable curtain todeploy from a stowed state to a deployed state.

CC. The deployment system of any one of example Z through example BB,wherein the deployment controller is configured to activate the firstinflator and the third inflator concurrently.

DD. The deployment system of any one of example Z through example CC,wherein:

the first inflator has a first deployment pressure, a first deploymentvolume, and a first deployment flow rate;

the second inflator has a second deployment pressure, a seconddeployment volume, and a second deployment flow rate; and

at least one of:

-   -   the first deployment pressure differs from the second deployment        pressure;    -   the first deployment volume differs from the second deployment        volume; or    -   the first deployment flow rate differs from the second        deployment flow rate.

EE. The deployment system of any one of example Z through example DD,wherein the expandable bladder comprises a first expandable bladder andthe deployment system further comprises a third inflator in flowcommunication with a second expandable bladder and configured to cause,upon activation of the third inflator by the deployment controller, thesecond expandable bladder to deploy from a stowed state to a deployedstate.

FF. The deployment system of any one of example Z through example EE,wherein the deployment controller is configured to activate the secondinflator and the third inflator concurrently.

GG. The deployment system of any one of example Z through example FF,wherein the expandable curtain comprises a first expandable curtain andthe deployment system further comprises a third inflator in flowcommunication with a second expandable curtain and configured, uponactivation of the third inflator by the deployment controller, to causethe second expandable curtain to deploy from a stowed state to adeployed state.

HH. The deployment system of any one of example Z through example GG,wherein the deployment controller is configured to activate the firstinflator and the third inflator concurrently.

II. The deployment system of any one of example Z through example HH,wherein in the deployed state, the first expandable curtain comprises afirst distal curtain end, and the second expandable curtain in thedeployed state comprises a second distal curtain end, and wherein thedeployment system further comprises a tether coupling the first distalcurtain end and the second distal curtain end to one another.

JJ. The deployment system of any one of example Z through example II,wherein the deployment controller is configured to:

receive a signal indicative of a presence of one or more of an occupantor an object in a seat; and

activate, based at least in part on the signal, the first inflator todeploy one or more of an expandable curtain or an expandable bladderassociated with the seat.

KK. An example method for deploying an occupant protection system from astowed state to a deployed state, the method comprising:

deploying, via a first inflator at a first time, an expandable curtainfrom a stowed state to a deployed state presenting a reaction surface;and

deploying, via a second inflator at a second time after the first time,an expandable bladder comprising an occupant facing surface and a rearsurface opposite the occupant facing surface from a stowed state to adeployed state, such that the rear surface of the expandable bladdercontacts the reaction surface of the expandable curtain.

LL. The method of example KK, wherein:

the first inflator has a first deployment pressure, a first deploymentvolume, and a first deployment flow rate;

the second inflator has a second deployment pressure, a seconddeployment volume, and a second deployment flow rate; and

at least one of:

-   -   the first deployment pressure differs from the second deployment        pressure;    -   the first deployment volume differs from the second deployment        volume; or    -   the first deployment flow rate differs from the second        deployment flow rate.

MM. The method of example KK or example LL, wherein the expandablebladder comprises a first expandable bladder and the method furthercomprises deploying, via a third inflator at the second time, a secondexpandable bladder comprising a second occupant facing surface and asecond rear surface opposite the second occupant facing surface from astowed state to a deployed state, such that the second rear surface ofthe second expandable bladder contacts the reaction surface of theexpandable curtain.

NN. The method of any one of example KK through example MM, wherein theoccupant protection system comprises at least one additional expandablecurtain and at least one additional expandable bladder, and the methodfurther comprises deploying, via at least one additional inflator, atleast one of the at least one additional expandable curtain or the atleast one expandable bladder.

What is claimed is:
 1. An occupant protection system for a vehicle, theoccupant protection system comprising: an expandable curtain configuredto expand from a stowed state to a deployed state, wherein theexpandable curtain in the deployed state comprises: a first sideconfigured to extend along a portion of a first interior side of thevehicle in a first direction; a second side spaced from the first sideand configured to extend in a direction substantially parallel to thefirst direction; and a transverse portion extending in a seconddirection transverse to the first direction, the transverse portionproviding a reaction surface, wherein the first side, the transverseportion, and the second side of the expandable curtain form a contiguousbarrier; an expandable bladder comprising an occupant facing surface anda rear surface opposite the occupant facing surface, the expandablebladder configured to expand from a stowed state to a deployed state,such that in the deployed state the rear surface of the expandablebladder contacts the reaction surface of the transverse portion of theexpandable curtain; a transverse ceiling trim panel configured to becoupled to a ceiling of the vehicle and extending substantially parallelto the second direction, the transverse ceiling trim panel configured tocover the transverse portion of the expandable curtain in the stowedstate and to deflect to allow expansion of the transverse portion to thedeployed state; and a side ceiling trim panel configured to be coupledto the ceiling of the vehicle and extending substantially parallel tothe first direction, the side ceiling trim panel configured to cover thefirst side of the expandable curtain in the stowed state and to deflectto allow expansion of the first side of the expandable curtain to thedeployed state.
 2. The occupant protection system of claim 1, whereinthe transverse ceiling trim panel comprises a transverse seam extendingsubstantially parallel to the second direction, and wherein thetransverse seam is configured to create a transverse opening throughwhich the transverse portion of the expandable curtain passes whenexpanding from the stowed state to the deployed state.
 3. The occupantprotection system of claim 2, wherein at least a portion of thetransverse ceiling trim panel proximate the transverse seam isconfigured to deflect through an arc away from the ceiling of thevehicle.
 4. The occupant protection system of claim 1, wherein the sideceiling trim panel comprises a longitudinal seam extending substantiallyparallel to the first direction, and wherein the longitudinal seam isconfigured to create a longitudinal opening through which the first sideof the expandable curtain passes when expanding from the stowed state tothe deployed state.
 5. The occupant protection system of claim 4,wherein at least a portion of the side ceiling trim panel proximate thelongitudinal seam is configured to deflect through an arc away from theceiling of the vehicle.
 6. The occupant protection system of claim 1,wherein the transverse ceiling trim panel and the side ceiling trimpanel are configured to create a contiguous opening through which thetransverse portion and the first side pass when expanding from thestowed state to the deployed state.
 7. A ceiling trim panel system for avehicle, the ceiling trim panel system comprising: a transverse ceilingtrim panel configured to be coupled to a ceiling of the vehicle andextend in a first direction substantially transverse relative to alongitudinal axis of the vehicle, the transverse ceiling trim panelconfigured to cover a transverse portion of an expandable curtain in astowed state and to deflect to allow deployment of the transverseportion of the expandable curtain to a deployed state; a longitudinalceiling trim panel configured to be coupled to the ceiling of thevehicle and extending in a second direction substantially parallel tothe longitudinal axis of the vehicle, the longitudinal ceiling trimpanel configured to cover a longitudinal portion of the expandablecurtain in the stowed state; and a contiguous opening created by thetransverse ceiling trim panel and the longitudinal ceiling trim panelthrough which the transverse portion of the expandable curtain and thelongitudinal portion of the expandable curtain pass when deploying fromthe stowed state to the deployed state.
 8. The ceiling trim panel systemof claim 7, wherein the longitudinal ceiling trim panel is configured todeflect to allow deployment of the longitudinal portion of theexpandable curtain to the deployed state.
 9. The ceiling trim panelsystem of claim 8, wherein the longitudinal ceiling trim panel comprisesa longitudinal seam extending substantially parallel to the seconddirection, and wherein the longitudinal seam is configured to create anopening through which the longitudinal portion of the expandable curtainpasses when deploying from the stowed state to the deployed state. 10.The ceiling trim panel system of claim 9, wherein at least a portion ofthe longitudinal ceiling trim panel proximate the longitudinal seam isconfigured to deflect through an arc from a portion of the longitudinalceiling trim panel to a position transverse to the ceiling of thevehicle.
 11. The ceiling trim panel system of claim 8, furthercomprising a joining ceiling trim panel associated with the transverseceiling trim panel and the longitudinal ceiling trim panel, the joiningceiling trim panel configured to be coupled to the ceiling of thevehicle and cover a portion of one or more of the transverse portion ofthe expandable curtain or the longitudinal portion of the expandablecurtain in the stowed state and to deflect to allow deployment of one ormore of the transverse portion or the longitudinal portion of theexpandable curtain to the deployed state.
 12. The ceiling trim panelsystem of claim 8, further comprising a second longitudinal ceiling trimpanel spaced from the longitudinal ceiling trim panel and configured tobe coupled to the ceiling of the vehicle and extend substantiallyparallel to the second direction, the second longitudinal ceiling trimpanel configured to cover a second longitudinal portion of theexpandable curtain in the stowed state and to deflect to allowdeployment of the second longitudinal portion to the deployed state. 13.The ceiling trim panel system of claim 12, wherein the secondlongitudinal ceiling trim panel comprises second longitudinal seamextending substantially parallel to the second direction, and whereinthe second longitudinal seam is configured to create an opening throughwhich the second longitudinal portion of the expandable curtain passeswhen deploying from the stowed state to the deployed state.
 14. Theceiling trim panel system of claim 7, wherein the transverse ceilingtrim panel comprises a transverse seam extending substantially parallelto the first direction, and wherein the transverse seam is configured tocreate an opening through which the transverse portion of the expandablecurtain passes when deploying from the stowed state to the deployedstate.
 15. The ceiling trim panel system of claim 14, wherein at least aportion of the transverse ceiling trim panel proximate the transverseseam is configured to deflect through an arc away from the ceiling ofthe vehicle.
 16. A method of creating an opening through which anexpandable curtain deploys from a stowed state to a deployed state, themethod comprising: providing a transverse ceiling trim panel coupled toa ceiling of a vehicle and extending in a first direction substantiallytransverse relative to a longitudinal axis of the vehicle, thetransverse ceiling trim panel covering a transverse portion of theexpandable curtain in the stowed state; providing a longitudinal ceilingtrim panel coupled to the ceiling of the vehicle and extending in asecond direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of thevehicle, the longitudinal ceiling trim panel covering a longitudinalportion of the expandable curtain in the stowed state; causing thetransverse ceiling trim panel to deflect and create a transverse openingto allow deployment of the transverse portion of the expandable curtainto the deployed state; and causing the longitudinal ceiling trim panelto deflect and create a longitudinal opening to allow deployment of thefirst longitudinal portion of the expandable curtain to the deployedstate, wherein the transverse opening and the longitudinal opening arecontiguous.
 17. The method of claim 16, wherein causing the transverseceiling trim panel to deflect and causing the longitudinal ceiling trimto deflect occur concurrently.
 18. The method of claim 16, wherein:causing the transverse ceiling trim panel to deflect comprises causing atransverse seam defined by the transverse ceiling trim panel to open andcreate the transverse opening; and causing the longitudinal ceiling trimpanel to deflect comprises causing a longitudinal seam defined by thelongitudinal ceiling trim panel to open and create the longitudinalopening.
 19. The method of claim 18, wherein at least a portion of thetransverse ceiling trim panel proximate the transverse seam isconfigured to deflect through an arc away from the ceiling of thevehicle.
 20. The method of claim 19, wherein at least a portion of thelongitudinal ceiling trim panel proximate the longitudinal seam isconfigured to deflect through an arc away from the ceiling of thevehicle.